Muhlenbergia brevifolia

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes elongated. Culms slender; 20–30 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths 0.5–2 cm long; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; 0.5–1 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades spreading; flat, or involute; 1–3(–5) cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–5 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; 3–15 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Nov Gal.

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