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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 pyramidata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pubescent. Culms erect; 70–90 cm long; 2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 7–24 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide; mid-green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 12–13.5 cm long; 3.5–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2.5–4.5 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.7–7.5 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7.3 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; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.3 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–5.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex acute to setaceously attenuate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea gaping; 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: western Asia. North America: Mexico.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Turk 1993.

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