Deschampsia ligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 10–40 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–15 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 6–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; hairy above; with 0.7 mm long hairs. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 6–7 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.25–0.33 way up back of lemma; straight, or geniculate; 6–7 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Rhachilla extension 0.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Aveneae. WDC 1994.

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