Deschampsia gracillima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 5–20 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 1–4 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; 3–5 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; pilose. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; membranous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; muticous, or mucronate. Principal lemma awn (mucro) subapical. Palea keels ciliolate. Rhachilla extension pilose.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Aveneae. Cheeseman 1995.

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