Poaceae
Bouteloua

Bouteloua barbata Lag.

First published in Varied. Ci. 2(4): 141 (1805)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. & Central U.S.A. to Mexico, N. Argentina. It is an annual or perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Annual, or perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 5-30 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1.5-7 cm long; 1-3(-4) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes (2-)4-8(-9); borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1-3 cm long; bearing 25-40 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 2-12 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; smooth on surface, or scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded. Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.5-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.5-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.6-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5-3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5-3 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with central lobe bidentate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5-3 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes, or on margin of lemma; 0.5-3 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on flanks. Palea apex dentate; 4 -fid. Rhachilla extension pilose; hairy at tip. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; cuneate; 0.5-1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0.5-3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1 mm long.
Distribution
North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: southern South America.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Gould.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0