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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Nassella nidulans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 13–80 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; entire, or lacerate; obtuse. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 4–30 cm long; 0.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; linear; 3–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.1–0.25 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2–2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn median, or eccentric; geniculate, or bigeniculate; 25–75 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column; persistent, or deciduous. Palea 0.8–1 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5 mm long. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.2–1.5 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Caro 1995.

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