Melica minuta

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 7–30 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; nodding; 3–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 5–7 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 6.5–8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; pallid; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 6.5–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 2–3 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid; 2.5–3 mm long. Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Turk 1993.

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