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PARAPHOLIS C.E. Hubb.
Plants hermaphroditic, caespitose, annual. Culms ascending or geniculate or prostrate, glabrous; internodes
hollow, terete. Leaves basal and cauline, not distinctly distichous; sheaths terete, open; auricles present or
absent; ligules membranous; blades flat or involute, linear, lax. Spikes cylindrical (curved and rigid),
rachis disarticulating, pedicels absent. Spikelets solitary at inflorescence nodes, appearing
sunken, laterally compressed, disarticulation below the glumes, awnless, sessile; florets 2,
reduced floret at apex, callus absent, rachilla not extended beyond upper floret; glumes 2, 3-5-veined,
displaced relative to floret position (adjacent), not subulate (asymetrical), longer than first floret,
awnless; lemmas 1- or 3-veined, hyaline to membranous, glabrous, apex entire, awnless; paleas
2-veined, awnless, glabrous. Stamens 3; anthers yellow. Caryopses terete or dorsiventrally compressed,
elliptical or narrowly oval. Base chromosome number x=7.
A small genus of about six species, many occur in open, disturbed habitats near saline water. Species are
found in the United States, Europe, the Mediterranean to India.
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