Glyceria obtusa

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; dense; 10–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 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: eastern Canada, northeast USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Meliceae. Man US Gr 1994.

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