Piptatherum canadense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–70 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–20 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 1.3–1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins involute; exposing palea. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 10–20 mm long overall; with twisted column; persistent. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, and northeast USA.

NOTES Stipeae. WDC.

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