Bromus syriacus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent and pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–6 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; equilateral, or nodding; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 3–6 cm long; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of upper glume; scarious; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 9–11 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with distinct primaries but obscure intermediates. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3–5 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Pal 1997.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.