Deschampsia parvula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 5–15 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–10 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 3–6 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle glomerate; oblong; 1.5–6 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2(–3) fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 1.5–1.7 mm long; pilose. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 0.33 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; with outer lobes longer; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.25–0.33 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 4–6 mm long overall; clearly exserted from spikelet; with twisted column. Rhachilla extension pilose.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5–0.8 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.7–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Pat 1995.

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