Poaceae
Koeleria

Koeleria vaseyi Barberá, Quintanar, Soreng & P.M.Peterson

First published in Phytoneuron 2019-46: 9 (2019)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Yukon to W. Central U.S.A. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50-100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-3 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 10-20 cm long; 2-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 10-15 cm long; 1-2.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5-6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 1 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5-6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66 way up back of lemma; geniculate; spreading; 5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea gaping; hyaline. Rhachilla extension pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm soft.
Distribution
North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA.
Reference
Aveneae. N Amer Fl 1994.
[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 2026. 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 2026. 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