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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 vaginalis
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–40 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 3–4 mm wide; 3–6 cm long at summit of culm; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with 11 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute; simple, or apiculate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage (treated as sterile spikelets).
Panicle capitate; oblong, or ovate; 3–4 cm long; 0.7–1 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.
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; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–5.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 5 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns 0.5–1 mm long. Palea 4.5–6 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex muticous.
FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted; pubescent.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum elliptic.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.
NOTES Poeae. Deyl 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
