Piptatherum laterale

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–65 cm long. Culm-internodes glaucous; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–7 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 6–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 4–17 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 7–8 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 elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; mid-green; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 7–8 mm long; membranous; mid-green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins involute; exposing palea. Lemma hairs 0.2–0.4 mm long. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; 4.5–7 mm long overall; deciduous. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1 mm long. Anthers 3; 2–3.5 mm long; anther tip penicillate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 3–4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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