Bromus luzonensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with soft dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45–80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent to hirsute. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 8–14 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; simple.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–11 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; (3–)5–7(–9) -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–13 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 7–9(–11) -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–14(–17) mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; distinctly keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; (3–)4–8(–10) mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 4.5–6 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex fleshy.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA and southwest USA.

NOTES Bromeae. Pavlick 2010.

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