Muhlenbergia asperifolia

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2–6 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; not deciduous as a whole, or deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 6–15 cm long; 6–14 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 1.5–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.6–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex erose; obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.8–0.9 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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