Crypsis aculeata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 1–30 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–5 cm long; 3.5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; subtended by sheathless blades (2 blades); embraced at base by subtending leaf, or enclosed.

Panicle capitate; corymbose; 0.5–1 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliolate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliolate. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0–1 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 0.8–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong, or obovoid; 2 mm long; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, west tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Turk 1993.

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