Hordeum brachyantherum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to pubescent. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; linear; bilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes oblong; falling with spikelet above.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; linear; 10–12 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes subulate; 10–12 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1; enclosed by glumes; 3–4 mm long; 1-awned; with 3–4 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 7–12 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume subulate; 7–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume. Upper glume subulate; 7–12 mm long; 1.2–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6–7 mm long overall.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, northwest USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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