Poaceae
Briza

Briza maxima L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 70 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Macaronesia to Medit. It is an annual and grows primarily in the subtropical biome. It is has environmental uses, as a medicine and for food.

Descriptions

Gramineae, E. Launert. Flora Zambesiaca 10:1. 1971

Morphology General Habit
A loosely tufted annual.
Morphology Culms
Culms (10)20-70 cm. tall, 2-4-noded, simple, terete, slender, erect or ascending from a geniculate base, smooth.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Leaf-sheaths often tinged with purple, loose, striate, dorsally rounded, glabrous, smooth.
Morphology Leaves Ligules
Ligule 2-5 mm. long.
Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina
Leaf-laminae 5-25 x 0·25-0·75 cm., pale-green, tapering to an acute point, usually expanded, flaccid, glabrous, scaberulous along the edges.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicles 4-10 cm. long, rather loose, with (1)3-12 Spikelets, usually pendulous; axis very slender.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels up to 2 cm. long, capillary, very flexible.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 15-25 x 8-14 mm., 7-20-flowered, pale-green to silver-green (often especially the glumes) purplish to red-brown, broadly ovate-cordate in outline, glabrous or often shortly pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes 5-7 mm. long, often purplish, 7- (inconspicuously 9) nerved, broadly ovate from a cordate base, apex rounded to obtusely acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma
Lemmas 6-7·5 mm. long, dorsally rounded, 7-9-nerved, broadly ovate, apex shortly acuminate, usually shortly pilose; the hairs tipped with glands.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Palea
Paleas with the narrow wings shortly ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers 2-2·25 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis c. 2·5 mm. long, light brown, broadly obovate to almost circular in outline.
[FZ]

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Ecology
Alt. 2000 - 3000 m.
Morphology General Habit
Herb.
Distribution
Introduced and naturalised in Colombia.
Conservation
Not Evaluated.
[UPB]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 2000–3000 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Boyacá, Magdalena, Nariño.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit
Annual.
Morphology Culms
Culms 10–60 cm. high, loosely tufted or solitary, erect or geniculate, slender.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades 5–20 cm. long and 3–8 mm. wide, flat, minutely rough on the margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicles 3–10 cm. long, loose, prettily nodding, bearing up to 12 spikelets on capillary pedicels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 7–20-flowered, ovate to oblong, plump, 14–25 mm. long and 8–15 mm. wide, glabrous or minutely hairy, pale green, silvery, or suffused with reddish-brown or purple; lemmas 6–8 mm. long, very broad, rounded on the back, obtuse.
Figures
Fig. 19/1–12.
Habitat
Roadsides and cultivated land in the highlands; a garden escape where occasionally cultivated for ornamental purposes; 2400–2700 m.
Distribution
Mediterranean regionnaturalized in many warm temperate countries K3
[FTEA]

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
Naturalizada y adventicia en Colombia; Alt. 2000 - 3000 m.; Andes, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
ilusión
[UNAL]

Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10-60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5-20 cm long; 3-8 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 3-12 fertile spikelets. Panicle open; obovate; 3-10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; recurved; 5-20 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 7-20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 14-25 mm long; 8-15 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 7-20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 14-25 mm long; 8-15 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 5-7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 5-7 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma orbicular; auriculate at base; gibbous; 6-8 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; lightly keeled; keeled below; 7-9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; with capitate hairs. Lemma apex cuspidate. Palea orbicular; 0.5 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2-2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5 mm long. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Europe: northern, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, Caucasus, western Asia, and China. Asia-tropical: India and Malesia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central and north-central. North America: eastern Canada, southwest USA, and south-central USA. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
Reference
Poeae. FTEA.
[GB]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses (State of the World's Plants 2016).
[UPB]

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[UPFC]

Common Names

English
Great Quaking Grass

Sources

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

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

  • Flora Zambesiaca

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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

    • 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 2023. 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 Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. 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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

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

  • Useful Plants of Boyacá Project

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