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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Helictotrichon jahandiezii
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; pubescent; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–80 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Culm-nodes brown. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.75 of their length closed; smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.8–1.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse; hooded.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 6–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2 -nate. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous. Panicle branches flexuous; scaberulous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose. Floret callus pilose; with linear scar.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 12–16 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 9–13 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner above; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma hairs 4–5 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.4–0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 14–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea keels pubescent. Apical sterile florets rudimentary.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1–1.2 mm long. Anthers 3; 4.5–5 mm long; purple. Ovary pubescent on apex.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; sulcate on hilar side; 5 mm long; hairy at apex. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.
NOTES Aveneae. Fl Afr N 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
