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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Phalaris coerulescens
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100–150 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an ovoid corm. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–25 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 3–11 cm long; 1–2.3 cm wide. Panicle axis bearing persistent branches, or deciduous spikelet clusters.
Spikelets solitary, or subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1–2 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 5–6 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets.
STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; laterally compressed; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 5.3–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity, or falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 5.3–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.3–9 mm long; 1.2–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; both vestigial; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.7–4.4 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface glabrous.
FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.8–3.3 mm long. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: western Asia. Australasia: Australia. South America: southern South America.
NOTES Aveneae. Anderson.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
