Poaceae
Alopecurus

Alopecurus baptarrhenius S.M.Phillips

First published in Kew Bull. 41: 1027 (1986)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Ethiopia. It is an annual or perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10-30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths loose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3-6 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5-10 cm long; 1-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 2.5-4.5 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets 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 elliptic; laterally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes connate along margins below; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 3-4.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume hairs 0.5 mm long. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 3-4.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume hairs 0.5 mm long. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 3-4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 4 -veined. Lemma margins connate below; with 0.33-0.5 of their length connate. Lemma apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.33-0.5 way up back of lemma; straight; 3 mm long overall; clearly exserted from spikelet (1-1.6mm). Palea absent or minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 1.3-2 mm long; orange. Stigmas protogynous; terminally exserted; pubescent. Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.
Distribution
Africa: northeast tropical.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Eth 1997.
[GB]

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: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

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