Melica eligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–50 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or absent; 0–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 6–12 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 5–22 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; dense; nodding; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; simple, or sparsely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–12 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 2.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3.5–6.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7(–9) -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 2–3 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 2–2.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Turk 1999.

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