Poaceae
Phleum

Phleum pratense L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 59 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Azores, Morocco, Europe to Siberia and W. Himalaya. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths dark brown. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40-150 cm long; 3-6 -noded; not swollen at the base, or swollen at the base. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-6 mm long. Leaf-blades 4-20 cm long; 3-9 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; (2-)6-15(-30) cm long; 0.6-2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; truncate; 3-3.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; truncate; 3-3.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 3-3.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1-2 mm long. Upper glume oblong; 3-3.8 mm long; 1.75-2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Upper glume apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1-2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 1.4-2.1 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5-7 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 1 length of lemma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5-2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Caribbean, western South America, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.
Reference
Aveneae. CEH.
[GB]

Sources

  • 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