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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 sphaerocephala
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 2–12 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 1–7 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex obtuse; hooded.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage (treated as sterile spikelets).
Panicle capitate; globose; 0.5–0.7 cm long; 0.5–0.7 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 pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–1.5 mm long.
STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets represented by a single scale; 2 in number; orbicular. Basal sterile spikelet glumes membranous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1.5 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1.5 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8 mm long. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted; pubescent. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5 mm long; glabrous. Hilum elliptic.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: central and southeastern.
NOTES Poeae. Deyl 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
