Ventenata huber-morathii

HABIT Annual. Culms slender; 16–33 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–6 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades involute; 6–9.5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3–14 cm long; 2–4.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–3.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels cuneate; 1.5–13 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating between fertile florets but the lowest falling with glumes attached. Floret callus evident.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous with pedicel attached; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–6 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets with the lowest dissimilar. Lowest fertile lemma elliptic; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent lemma; thinner than adjacent lemma; lobed; mucronate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; geniculate; 3–6 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 5.5–6 mm long. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Endosperm liquid.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Turk 1993.

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