Sclerochloa woronowii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 6–20 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–8 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; secund; 2–4 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches simple; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff; angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 5–10 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; eventually visible between 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; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 0.8–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; dorsally compressed; concavo-convex; apex rostrate. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Iran.

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