Corynephorus deschampsioides

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 30–80 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–4 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 3–5 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–10 cm long; 3–8 cm wide; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading; branching divaricately. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–5 length of fertile spikelet; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.5 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 2.5–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.1–0.2 way up back of lemma; with clavate limb; 2.5 mm long overall; not or scarcely exserted from spikelet; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn with bearded apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Aveneae. WDC 2005.

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