Koeleria brevis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; glabrous. Culms erect; 20–32 cm long; 1 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades convolute; 1.5–3 cm long; 0.4–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong, or ovate; interrupted; 2–3 cm long; 0.7–1.7 cm wide. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7.5 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; 3–5.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5–6.8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute to setaceously attenuate; muticous, or mucronate; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–1 mm long overall. Palea gaping; 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern and eastern. Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Turk 1993.

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