Sphenopus divaricatus

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10–30 cm long. Culm-nodes black. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–4 mm long; obtuse, or acute. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 6–7 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; branching divaricately. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels cuneate; 2–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.1–0.4 mm long; 0.2–0.4 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.6–1 mm long; 0.25–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; (0–)1 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma apex truncate, or obtuse; muticous. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; oblong; 0.2–0.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.75–1.25 mm long. Embryo 0.2–0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, and south. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and Arabia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Iraq.

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