Briza latifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 27–87 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–4 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat; 7.5–40 cm long; (4–)7–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 9–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; subterete; 5–6 mm long; (1.5–)4–5.1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3.2–3.9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume ovate; 3.2–4 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; not gibbous; 3.5–4.5 mm long; herbaceous; of similar consistency on margins; keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; truncate, or acute; mucronate. Palea lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.8–3.2 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 1.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; plano-convex. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Poeae. Essi et al 2011.

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