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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Melica cupanii

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 20–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; without keel; glabrous on surface, or pubescent, or hirsute; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–10 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous to pubescent; hairy adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; equilateral, or secund; 4–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose. Panicle axis glabrous to pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 5–6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; scarious; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy all along; hairy on veins. Lemma hairs 2 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension glabrous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.7–2.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.25–0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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