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.

Aeluropus laciniatus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Stolons present. Culms erect; 5–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; linear, or lanceolate; 0.1–4.5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–12; borne along a central axis; in a bilateral false spike; appressed; unilateral; 0.5–1.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–2 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.2 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 2–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 2.2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with membranous margins; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy at base. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.25–2.5 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 9–11 -veined. Lemma surface pilose (sparsely); hairy at base. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 1.8–2 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Khodash 2012.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Palea margins laciniate.

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