Deschampsia danthonioides

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 15–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 1–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 5–12 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4.5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; pilose. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 0.25 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–8 mm long; 2.2–2.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–3 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 4–7 mm long overall; with twisted column.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic, western Canada, northwest USA, southwest USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Aveneae. Gr Baja Cal 1994.

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