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Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Koeleria altaica
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths pubescent; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 10–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 2–3 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.
Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted; 2.5–6 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliolate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliolate. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; shiny; keeled. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex acute; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 0.5 mm long overall. Palea gaping.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, China, and Mongolia.
NOTES Aveneae. Domin 1995.
ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Peduncle pubescent for less than 2cm.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.