Sesleria Scop.

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Morphology General Habit

Perennial. Rhizomes absent (27), or short (1). Stolons absent (27), or present (1). Culms erect (27), or decumbent (1); robust (1/3), or slender (2/3); 2-32.33-75 cm long; firm (27), or wiry (1). Lateral branches lacking (19/19). Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length (3/23), or tubular for much of their length (20/23). Ligule an eciliate membrane (21), or a ciliolate membrane (7). Leaf-blades filiform (3), or linear (25); stiff (2), or firm (24), or flaccid (2); without exudate (23), or pruinose (7). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1). Leaf-blade apex muticous (26), or pungent (2).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage. Panicle spiciform (8), or capitate (22). Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (7), or pedicelled (22). Pedicels oblong (4/4).

Sterile

Basal sterile spikelets absent (1), or represented by a single scale (27).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 2-3 fertile florets (23), or 4 fertile florets (3); with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.075-5.514-10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Basal sterile spikelets absent (1), or represented by a single scale (27).

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 2-3 fertile florets (23), or 4 fertile florets (3); with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.075-5.514-10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (18), or reaching apex of florets (14), or exceeding apex of florets (1). Lower glume lanceolate (17), or ovate (16); 0.9-0.9982-1 length of upper glume; membranous (27), or scarious (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined (27), or 2 -veined (15), or 3 -veined (16). Lower glume lateral veins absent (27), or obscure (1), or distinct (15). Lower glume surface glabrous (25), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (4). Lower glume apex acute (18), or acuminate (12); muticous (7), or awned (23). Upper glume lanceolate (17), or ovate (16); 0.6-0.9778-1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous (27), or scarious (1); with undifferentiated margins (27), or membranous margins (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined (27), or 2 -veined (15), or 3 -veined (16). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (21), or ciliolate (2), or ciliate (6). Upper glume surface glabrous (25), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (4). Upper glume apex acute (17), or acuminate (12); muticous (7), or awned (23); 1 -awned (23/23).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma lanceolate (5), or elliptic (4), or oblong (4), or ovate (22); membranous; without keel; 3 -veined (25), or 4 -veined (24), or 5 -veined (27). Lemma midvein eciliate (26), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (2). Lemma surface smooth (27), or scabrous (1); glabrous (11), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (10), or pilose (9); hairy on back (13/21), or on veins (5/21), or between veins (3/21). Lemma margins eciliate (16), or ciliolate (2), or ciliate (12). Lemma apex entire (4), or dentate (27); 3 -fid (12/27), or 4 -fid (9/27), or 5 -fid (24/27); obtuse (1/1); muticous (1), or mucronate (1), or awned (27); 1 -awned (11/27), or 2 -awned (8/27), or 3 -awned (15/27), or 4 -awned (7/27), or 5 -awned (16/27). Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal (3/3). Palea 0.9-1.018-1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined (27/27). Palea keels eciliate (1), or pubescent (4), or ciliolate (23). Palea surface glabrous (21), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (3), or pilose (2). Palea apex dentate (5/5); muticous (13), or with excurrent keel veins (3), or awned (16).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; plumose (3), or pubescent (25). Ovary glabrous (2/15), or pubescent on apex (12/15), or pubescent all over (1/15).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (27/27); fusiform (1/7), or ovoid (2/7), or obovoid (4/7). Hilum punctiform (3/27), or elliptic (24/27).

Distribution

Europe (26), or Africa (1), or Temperate Asia (5).