|
Note - this takes you off
of our website |
GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Helictotrichon albinerve
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or short. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 30–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 3–5 mm long; 0.5–2 mm long on basal shoots. Leaf-blades 7–25 cm long; 2–7 mm wide; 0.5–1.5 cm long at summit of culm; grey-green. Leaf-blade venation with 14–22 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 11–40 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 7–16 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–3 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; 12–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; with 1.5–2 mm long hairs. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 2–3 mm long.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 10–12 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 11–14 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; 10–14 mm long; cartilaginous; dark brown; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 14–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5–8 mm long. Palea 8–11 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned all along. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.5–2.7 mm long. Anthers 3; 5–7 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north.
NOTES Aveneae. Roser 2007.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
