Family:
Poaceae Barnhart
Genus:
Cynosurus L.

Cynosurus elegans Desf.

This species is accepted, and its native range is NW. Africa.

[GB]
Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms 7-70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-3 mm long. Leaf-blades 3.5-8 cm long; 1-3 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle nodding. Panicle contracted; ovate, or globose; secund; 1-3 cm long; 0.5-1.2 cm wide. Panicle axis smooth (with white band at each joint). Panicle branches smooth. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; ovate; laterally compressed; 4-4.5 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 5-8; exserted from glumes; 3 mm long; 1-awned; with 2-4.5 mm long awn. Spikelets comprising 1-2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.3-4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Sterile
Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; ovate; laterally compressed; 4-4.5 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 5-8; exserted from glumes; 3 mm long; 1-awned; with 2-4.5 mm long awn.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1-2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.3-4 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 linear; 2.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; pallid; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1 mm long. Upper glume linear; 3 mm long; 1-1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; pallid; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 2.3-3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface hispid. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 8-12 mm long overall; limb scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, and Arabia.
Reference
Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

Native to:

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

Cynosurus elegans Desf. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Mar 16, 1906 C. L. [s.n.], Madeira K000345215 Yes
Mar 16, 1906 C. L. [s.n.], Madeira K000345217 Yes
Mar 16, 1906 Meandon, G. [243], Madeira K000345218 Yes
Bourgeau, E. [930], Madeira K000345216 Yes
Murbeck, Sv. [55], Tunisia K000345219 Yes
Bonjean, J.L. [s.n.], Sardegna K000789727 Yes
Viviani, D. [s.n.], Corse K000789717 Yes
Serafino [s.n.], Sicilia K000789715 Yes
Muller, F.A. [s.n.], Sardegna K000789714 Yes
Thomas, P. [s.n.], France K000789719 Yes
Serafino [69], Corse K000789724 Yes
Perreymond, J.H. [66] K000789720 Yes
Blanco, F.M. [401], Spain K000789726 Yes
Thomas, P. [s.n.], Corse K000789721 Yes
Muller, F.A. [s.n.], Sardegna K000789711 Yes
Gay, J. [s.n.], France K000789723 Yes
Requien, E. [s.n.], France K000789712 Yes
Blainville, H.M.D.d. [s.n.], France K000789722 Yes
Requien, E. [s.n.], Corse K000789713 Yes
Bourgeau, E. [496], Spain K000789718 Yes
Willkomm, H.M. [805], Spain K000789725 Yes
Boissier, E. [s.n.] K000789716 Yes

First published in Fl. Atlant. 1: 82 (1798)

Accepted by

  • Bor, N.L. (1968). Flora of Iraq 9: 1-588. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.
  • Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
  • Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
  • Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Meikle, R.D. (1985). Flora of Cyprus 2: 833-1970. The Bentham-Moxon Trust Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.

  • 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 Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0