Poaceae
Secale

Secale sylvestre Host

First published in Icon. Descr. Gram. Austriac. 4: 7 (1809)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Central & SE. Europe to Central Asia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit
Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose
Morphology Culms
culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15-30 cm long
Morphology Leaves
leaf-sheath auricles falcate leaf-sheaths puberulous. leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous. peduncle pubescent above leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5-10 cm long; 1.5-3 mm wide
Morphology Leaves Ligules
ligule an eciliate membrane
Morphology Leaves Rachis
rhachis fragile at the nodes, margins ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. rhachis internodes oblong, 3-3.5 mm long; falling with spikelet above spikelets cuneate, laterally compressed; 12-14 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures spikelets solitary
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
glumes similar, shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma lower glume linear; 11-12 mm long; upper glume linear; 11-12 mm long; upper glume apex acuminate; 1 -awned. upper glume awn 25-50 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
florets fertile lemma elliptic; 10-12 mm long, coriaceous, keeled, 5 -veined
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma
lemma midvein pectinately ciliate lemma surface scaberulous lemma apex acuminate 1 -awned fertile spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets, with diminished florets at the apex fertile spikelets sessile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
lodicules 2, ciliate racemes 1, single, bilateral, 2-3.5 cm long, 8-10 mm wide
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
anthers 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
caryopsis with adherent pericarp
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Hilum
hilum linear.
Ecology
sandy substrates, including dunes and sandy steppes. altitude 0 - 2300 m.
Distribution
Europe Central, SouthEastern, and Eastern. Asia temperate Siberia, Soviet middle Asia, Caucasus, Western Asia, and China.
Conservation
least concerned
Phenology
Flower (may - june), fruit (june - july)
[SCG]

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
Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15-30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5-10 cm long; 1.5-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pubescent above. Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 2-3.5 cm long; 8-10 mm wide. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes oblong; 3-3.5 mm long; falling with spikelet above. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 12-14 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 12-14 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 11-12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled all along; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 25-50 mm long. Upper glume linear; 11-12 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled all along; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 25-50 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 10-12 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pectinately ciliate. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 35-70 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; ciliate. Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Europe: central, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China.
Reference
Triticeae. Fl Iran 1993.
[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 2025. 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 2025. 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

  • Seed Collection Guides

    • Seed Collection Guides
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0