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Descriptions

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

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

Echinaria capitata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 4–30 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 4–7.5 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle capitate; ovate, or globose; 0.8–1.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 2-keeled; 2 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse; mucronate; 2 -awned (mucros). Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 5–7 -fid; awned; 5–7 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; reflexed; flat below; pungent; 3–6 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; spreading as much as principal; shorter than principal. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex awned; awns 4–5 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; hairy at apex. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. FW 1995.

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