Poaceae
Brachypodium

Brachypodium mexicanum (Roem. & Schult.) Link

First published in Hort. Berol. 1: 41 (1827)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Bolivia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical 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]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 2000 - 4000 m.; Andes, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms 40-150 cm long. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-3 mm long. Leaf-blades 5-25 cm long; 1-2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 2-15 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2-8 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax. Spikelets ascending, or spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 2-3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10-30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10-30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5-9 mm long; 0.66-0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7-11 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 8-12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 3-6 mm long overall. Palea 8-12 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, and western South America.
Reference
Brachypodieae. Fl Nov Gal 1993.
[GB]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 2000–4000 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Caldas, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Quindío.
Habit
Herb.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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 2025. 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 2025. 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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0