|
SCLEROCHLOA P. Beauv.
Plants hermaphroditic, caespitose, annual. Culms ascending to geniculate (branching at base), glabrous; internodes hollow,
terete. Leaves basal and cauline, not distinctly distichous; sheaths with compressed keals, margins partially connate;
auricles absent; ligules membranous; blades flat or folded, linear, somewhat stiff (blunt and keeled). Panicles or
spicate racemes, contracted (one-sided), primary branches and/or pedicels ascending. Spikelets solitary, laterally
compressed, disarticulation below glumes (with pedicel), awnless, pedicellate; florets 4-8, reduced floret at apex,
callus glabrous, rachilla not extended beyond upper floret; glumes 2, first 3-5-veined, second 7-9-veined (margins
hyaline), unequal, shorter than first floret, glabrous, awnless; lemmas 5-veined, chartaceous or coriaceous,
glabrous, apex entire (obtuse), awnless, veins glabrous; paleas 2-veined, awnless, glabrous. Stamens 3; anthers
pale yellow. Caryopses triangular in cross section. Base chromosome number x=7.
A small genus of two species from southern Europe to western Asia. These species occur in open habitats
where they are usually disturbance species.
|
