Poaceae
Gaudinia

Gaudinia fragilis (L.) P.Beauv.

First published in Ess. Agrostogr.: 95 (1812)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Central Europe to Medit. It is an annual or biennial.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10-33 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-0.7 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 1-6.5 cm long; 0.6-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 6-15 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear; falling with spikelet above. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7-18 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Rhachilla internodes 2-3 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7-18 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Rhachilla internodes 2-3 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.2-5 mm long; 0.5-0.6 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or villous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 5-10 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous; rough on veins; glabrous, or villous. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.3-8 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; lightly keeled; 7-9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66-0.75 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 10-15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 2.5-5 mm long. Ovary pubescent all over.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.5-3 mm long. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm liquid.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia. Australasia: Australia. South America: southern South America.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Turk.
[GB]

Sources

  • 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 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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