Bromus tyttholepis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2–6 -nate; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 20–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2–3 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: Soviet Middle Asia and China.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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