Koeleria asiatica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 14–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or puberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–4 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 oblong; laterally compressed; 3.7–5.5 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. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.7–4.1 mm long; 0.75–0.85 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.4–4.8 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.7–5.5 mm long; membranous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea gaping; 1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, China, and Mongolia. North America: Subarctic.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Alaska 1994.

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