Poaceae
Lygeum

Lygeum spartum Loefl. ex L.

First published in Gen. Pl., ed. 5.: 522 (1754)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Medit. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical 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]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes short; scaly. Culms 25-75 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 10-30 cm long; 1-1.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1 fertile spikelets; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; 3-5 cm long; chartaceous. Spikelets solitary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2(-3) fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; urceolate; laterally compressed; 30-45 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus bearded. Spikelet callus hairs 0.2 length of spikelet.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2(-3) fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; urceolate; laterally compressed; 30-45 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus bearded. Spikelet callus hairs 0.2 length of spikelet.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes both absent or obscure.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 20-30 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; pallid; without keel; 7-9 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma margins fused below to those of opposing floret forming an urn. Lemma hairs 7-10 mm long. Lemma apex caudate. Palea fused below to lemma margins (forming a septum between lemmas); linear; 2 length of lemma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 15-22 mm long. Stigmas 1; papillose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 8-9 mm long. Embryo 0.25-0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 2 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north.
Reference
Lygeae. WDC.
[GB]

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