Cutandia maritima

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10–35 cm long. Leaf-sheaths inflated. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–4 mm long; entire, or lacerate; truncate, or acute. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; flat, or conduplicate; 2–8 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes (when impoverished); embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; elliptic; secund; 1.5–16 cm long. Primary panicle branches branching divaricately. Panicle axis bearing deciduous branches. Panicle branches stiff; straight; angular; with prominent pulvini.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; terete, or angular; 0.5–2 mm long; smooth, or scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–9(–12) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 8–16(–22) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–6.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 5–7.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5.5–9.4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex apiculate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.6–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3–4.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk.

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