Trisetaria panicea

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–75 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–13 cm long; 2–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong, or ovate; interrupted; 2–15 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.7–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes villous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume linear; 2.3–2.8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–3.8 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66 way up back of lemma; straight, or curved, or geniculate; (1.5–)2.5–4.5(–5.5) mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea gaping; linear; hyaline. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4–1.7 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.1–0.15 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Aveneae. Gr Extremad 1993.

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