RLEM 610 grass taxonomy phleum

PHLEUM L. Plants hermaphroditic, caespitose or rhizomatous or stoloniferous, perennial. Culms erect or decumbent, glabrous; internodes hollow, terete. Leaves cauline, not distinctly distichous; sheaths terete, margins open; auricles absent; ligules membranous; blades flat, linear, lax. Panicles contracted (dense and cylindrical), primary branches tightly appressed. Spikelets solitary, laterally compressed; disarticulation above glumes; awned, short pedicellate; florets 1, reduced florets absent, callus glabrous, rachilla extended beyond floret or not extended beyond floret; glumes 2, 3-veined, equal, longer than floret, mid-vein ciliate, awned; lemmas 5-7-veined, membranous, glabrous, apex obtuse, awnless, veins glabrous; paleas 1-or 2- veined, awnless, membranous, glabrous. Stamens 3; anthers pale purple. Caryopses small with liquid endosperm. Base chromosome number x=7.

A temperate genus of 10-15 species that occur in both hemispheres. Our species is an introduced perennial native to Europe. Timothy (P. pratense) is an important species for reseeding disturbed sites. This is a species of open sites, meadows and dry slopes. One species is used in lawns.