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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Helictotrichon sempervirens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 40–100 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; flat, or convolute; 15–60 cm long; 0.9–4 mm wide; stiff; glaucous; without exudate, or pruinose. Leaf-blade venation with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 30–55 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 8–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 3–7 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2(–3) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes 2.5–4 mm long; pilose; with 4–5 mm long hairs. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 3–4 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 7–10 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 10–12 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 9–12 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; subterete below; 9–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 8–9 mm long. 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 and southeastern.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Eur 1995.

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