Bromus brevis (Nees) Steud. |
Derivation
Bromus L., Sp. Pl. 76 (1753); from the Greek bromos (oat),
out of broma (food).
brevis- Latin for short. Culms short.
Published in
Symb. Bot. 2: 22 (1791).
Habit
Perennial, tufted. Basal leaf sheaths pubescent or pilose. Culms 1575
cm tall. Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate
membrane, 23 mm long. Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate, 526 cm long,
15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or pubescent.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle open or contracted, lanceolate or
elliptic or oblong, 225 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading.
Spikelets
Spikelets ascending, solitary. Pedicels 1.52.1 mm long. Fertile spikelets
many flowered, comprising 612 fertile florets, with diminished florets
at the apex, lanceolate or elliptic or oblong or ovate, laterally compressed,
compressed strongly, (9)1124 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets
disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Glumes
Glumes persistent. Lower glume lanceolate, 5.59 mm long, 90% length
of upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 35(7)-nerved. Lower glume
apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, 6.69 mm long, 100% of length
of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 59-nerved, midnerve scaberulous.
Upper glume apex acuminate.
Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, laterally compressed, 814 mm long, chartaceous,
59-nerved. Lemma surface glabrous or pubescent. Lemma apex muticous or
mucronate or 1-awned. Median (principal) awn subapical, 0.32 mm
long overall. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile
though underdeveloped. Lodicules 2, membranous. Anthers 3, 0.41 mm long.
Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion, pubescent on apex. Grain
with adherent pericarp, hairy at apex, apex fleshy. Hilum linear.
Continental Distribution:
Australasia, South America.
Australian Distribution:
New South Wales, Tasmania.
New South Wales: Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes. Tasmania: East Coast.
Classification. (GPWG
2001):
Pooideae: Bromeae
Notes
Introduced. N.S.W. and from two sites in southern Tas. Native of S. America.
Flowers Aug.Jan.
Inflorescence (photo)
© M.B. Williams