Sclerochloa dura

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 4–10(–18) cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–7 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes.

Panicle contracted; oblong; secund; 1–3(–4.5) cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches simple; 0.2–1 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff; angular.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; unilateral; 1–4 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating between fertile florets but the lowest falling with glumes attached. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes (and swollen); clavate; obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous with pedicel attached; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 length of upper glume; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; with membranous margins; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex rostrate. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia. North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA. South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gould.

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