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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 nutans

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 20–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–20 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 5–15 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; nodding; 3–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; 3–15 mm long; puberulous; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 4–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 4–6 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea elliptic; 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels thickened; winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Palea apex entire; obtuse. Apical sterile florets 2–3 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 3 mm long. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Meliceae. CEH.

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