Poaceae
Rostraria

Rostraria salzmannii (Boiss.) Holub

First published in Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 9: 272 (1974)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. & SE. Spain to N. Africa. It is an annual and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 5-30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades 2-10 cm long; 1-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear, or lanceolate; continuous, or interrupted; 2-8 cm long; 0.7-2 cm wide. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4-6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4-6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 4-6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 4-6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliolate. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 4-6 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1.7-2.5 mm long overall. Palea gaping; 0.8 length of lemma; hyaline. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.
Distribution
Europe: southwestern. Africa: north.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Eur 1993.
[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