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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.
Sesleria nitida
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–70 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 10–27 cm long; 3.5–6 mm wide; 3.5–7.5 cm long at summit of culm; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute; hooded.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage (treated as sterile spikelets).
Panicle spiciform, or capitate; oblong, or ovate; 2–3 cm long; 0.9–1.2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis, or with lateral stumps on axis.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets represented by a single scale; 2 in number. Basal sterile spikelet glumes membranous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein eciliate, or ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 5–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 5 -fid; awned; 3–5 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns 0.5 mm long. Palea 5.5–6.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex awned; awns 0.5 mm long.
FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted; pubescent.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long. Hilum elliptic.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.
NOTES Poeae. Deyl 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
