Littledalea alaica

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 12–35 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 4–8 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; stiff; mid-green, or grey-green. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes (in weak plants); comprising 4–10 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; ovate; 4–10 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Racemes 1; single.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 18–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–11 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–14 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 12–18 mm long; scarious; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5–11 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea lanceolate; 0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 6–7 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia and China.

NOTES Bromeae. WDC.

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