Colpodium lakium

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 50–55 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.33–0.75 of their length closed; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 1–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; nodding; 10–20 cm long; 9–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; 4–8 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes glabrous. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins all falling short of apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple and yellow; tipped with last colour; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea keels smooth; eciliate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic; 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Poeae. Fl USSR 1996.

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