Helictotrichon canescens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface to pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2–3 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–4 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous to pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume linear; 3–4 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2 mm long; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 10–14 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea gaping; hyaline. Rhachilla extension pilose.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1–1.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.3–2.3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm soft.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA and southwest USA.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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