Pleuropogon californicus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long; spongy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5–10 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 10–15 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 5–10 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 3–5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 6–12 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; with toothed wings. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; 2.5 mm long. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA.

NOTES Meliceae. WDC.

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