Colpodium altaicum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 8–28 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2–7.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3–4.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.7–3.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3–4.2 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; yellow; keeled; keeled below. Lemma lateral veins less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea keels smooth; eciliate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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