Glyceria leptostachya

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 60–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 6–11 mm long; lacerate; acute. Leaf-blades 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 20–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 2–3 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–13 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 12–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.4–3 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic, western Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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