Glyceria alnasteretum

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 60–90 cm long; 2.5–4 mm diam.; 4–6 -noded. Culm-internodes 3–20 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; 5–10 cm long; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; membranous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; nodding; 16–22 cm long; 4–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; sparsely divided; 8–10 cm long. Panicle axis smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; 3–3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; light green and purple; suffused with last colour; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 0.7–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east and eastern Asia.

NOTES Meliceae. Koyama 1994.

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