GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Brylkinia caudata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 20–70 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 3–5 -noded. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; pubescent; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; (2–)4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; paucilateral; 8–22 cm long; bearing 10–20 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing distant.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 2–7 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 12–15 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with the pedicel; pedicel base hooked. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–7.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 8–14 mm long; 0.66 length of fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 13–15 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 10–15 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea keels approximate; ciliolate. Rhachilla extension 0.2 length of fertile floret.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; oblong; membranous. Anthers 3; 4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; glabrous; apex umbonate. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, China, and eastern Asia.

NOTES Brylkinieae. Koyama.

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