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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.
Buchloe dactyloides
HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms 5–10 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–12(–20) cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Monoecious (rarely), or dioecious; with male and female spikelets in different inflorescences. Inflorescence composed of racemes; shorter than basal leaves (male exserted); subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Racemes 2; paired; globose; unilateral; 0.3–0.4 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis obsolete; deciduous from axis.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Male spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure, or two; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous. Upper glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; indurate (and involucral); without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex lobed; 3 -fid; acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with outer lobes shorter; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.5 of lemma length. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex obtuse.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–3.5 mm long; orange, or red.
FRUIT Caryopsis oblong, or ovoid; 2–2.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.9 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a branch.
MALE Male inflorescence terminal; unlike female; of racemes along a central axis; with pectinate racemes. Male spikelets distinct from female; 2 flowered; ovate; 4–5.5 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.
DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico.
NOTES Cynodonteae. Gould.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
