Koeleria embergeri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 7–9 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades curved; plicate; 1–2 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 5 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; loose; 0.9–1.3 cm long. Panicle axis smooth; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.7–2.9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–2.7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Aveneae. Quezel 2005.

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