Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.

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

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

cañuela, paja de páramo

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose; clumped moderately. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Rhizomes absent, or short; fleshy; not obviously scaly. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms robust; straight, or curved; 45-180 cm long; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline; 3-5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-2 mm long; membranous, or scarious; white; erose. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades straight, or flexuous; linear in section; 10-60 cm long; 3-12 mm wide; firm; mid-green. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle straight, or flexuous; terete; eglandular; glabrous. Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; continuous; dense, or loose; straight; 10-50 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 2 -nate; moderately divided; bearing 3-8 fertile spikelets on each lower branch (on shorter branch); bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches straight, or arcuate; angular; scabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3-8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 6-8(-10) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 9-12(-15) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 6-8(-10) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 9-12(-15) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; dissimilar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.3-5.5 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; herbaceous, or scarious; mid-green; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4.5-7 mm long; 0.7-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; mid-green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma ovate; symmetrical; 6-9 mm long; chartaceous; mid-green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn stiff; 0-4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3; 3-4 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

Distribution

Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, northeast tropical, east tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

Reference

Poeae. Stancik 2005.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Naturalizada y adventicia en Colombia; Alt. 2500 - 3000 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

No Evaluada

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial; culms 45–180 cm. high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades 10–60 cm. long and 3–12 mm. wide, flat, with minutely hairy falcate auricles; leaf-sheaths glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle lanceolate to ovate, 10–50 cm. long, loose or contracted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets closely 3–10-flowered, elliptic to oblong, 10–18 mm. long; lower glume 3–6 mm. long, the upper 4.5–7 mm. long; lemmas narrowly ovate, 6–9 mm. long, awnless or with a fine bristle up to 4 mm. long from just below the hyaline tip; palea as long as the lemma; ovary glabrous; anthers 3–4 mm. long.

Habitat

Upland streamsides; 2300–3000 m.

Distribution

K3 Europe and temperate Asiawidely introduced elsewhere