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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Deschampsia robusta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths coriaceous; glossy; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect; robust; 80–110 cm long; 3–5 mm diam.; 2–5 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 8–15 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades filiform; flat, or involute; 20–45 cm long; 4–7 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 15–25 cm long; 4–5 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 5–10 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–6 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower narrower than upper; exceeding apex of florets; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 8–11 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–11 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 5–5.5 mm long; membranous; shiny; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lateral lobes bidentate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.25 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 7.5–8.5 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Rhachilla extension pilose.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Aveneae. Hubbard 1999.

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