Poaceae
Danthonia

Danthonia decumbens (L.) DC.

First published in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck & A.P.de Candolle, Fl. Franç., éd. 3, 3: 33 (1805)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Macaronesia, Europe, Medit. to Caucasus. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10-45(-70) cm long; 1-3 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5-25 cm long; 2-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; comprising (3-)4-9(-11) fertile spikelets. Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 2-7 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches bearing 1-3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; (6.5-)8-11(-13) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; (6.5-)8-11(-13) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; (3-)4-9(-11) mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.2-1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 5-7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7-9 -veined. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Principal lemma awn from a sinus. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 0.2-0.5 mm long; retained within floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.25 length of caryopsis.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Cleistogene
Cleistogenes present; in lower sheaths.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, and middle Atlantic ocean. Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, northeast USA, and southwest USA. South America: Mesoamericana.
Reference
Arundineae. TAC.
[GB]

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]

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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images