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Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sphenopholis elongata
HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–50 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths without keel; hispid; with simple hairs, or reflexed hairs. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long; entire, or lacerate; obtuse. Leaf-blades 2–10 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pubescent.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; 5–10 cm long; 0.4–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches glabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets. Floret callus evident.
GLUMES Glumes similar; with lower narrower than upper; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume obovate; 4–5 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.75 way up back of lemma; bigeniculate; 5–8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea gaping; 0.66 length of lemma; hyaline. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.
DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.
NOTES Aveneae. Gr Texas 1997.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.