Note - this takes you off
of our website |
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 requienii
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms robust; 60–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 6–10 mm long; 1.4–4.5 mm long on basal shoots; acute. Leaf-blades terete; 30–50 cm long; 1.2–1.3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation with 8–10 secondary veins; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface ungrooved. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 14–17 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 15–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 2–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 16–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2.5–3 mm long; pilose; with 2–2.5 mm long hairs. Floret callus pilose.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 13 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 17 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 14–16 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; flat below; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.
NOTES Aveneae. Fl Eur 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.