Spartina versicolor

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 60–150 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; 0.8–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–6; paired, or digitate, or borne along a central axis; distant; erect; unilateral; 6–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–5 cm long. Rhachis angular; terminating in a spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 5–7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume linear; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; with membranous margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–6 mm long; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 4 mm long.

FRUIT Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Fl Eur 1997.

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