Brachypodium pinnatum

(L.) P. Beauv.
Common names: Heath falsebrome Tor grass
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 190.

Plants perennial; rhizomatous, sometimes subcespitose, rhizomes scaly, sparingly branched. Culms 30-120 cm, erect, stiff, usually unbranched, with 2-3 nodes, not narrowed below the racemes, internodes smooth, usually glabrous; nodes pubescent, often scabrous. Sheaths rounded, smooth, glabrous or hairy, bases sometimes shortly pubescent; ligules 0.8-2.5 mm, truncate; blades 6-45 cm long, 2-7 (10) mm wide, flat, lax, dark green, abaxial surfaces scabrous, not shiny, adaxial surfaces sparsely hairy, primary-veins conspicuous, separated by finer secondary-veins. Racemes 4-25 cm, erect, sometimes nodding, with (3) 6-15 spikelets; pedicels 1-2 mm. Spikelets 15-50 mm, terete, with (3) 7-24 florets. Glumes lanceolate to narrowly ovate, acute, firm, glabrous; lower glumes 3-6 mm, 3-6-veined; upper glumes 3-8 mm, 5-9-veined; lemmas 6-11 mm, Plants perennial; rhizomatous, sometimes subcespitose, rhizomes scaly, sparingly branched. Culms 30-120 cm, erect, stiff, usually unbranched, with 2-3 nodes, not narrowed below the racemes, internodes smooth, usually glabrous; nodes pubescent, often scabrous. Sheaths rounded, smooth, glabrous or hairy, bases sometimes shortly pubescent; ligules 0.8-2.5 mm, truncate; blades 6-45 cm long, 2-7 (10) mm wide, flat, lax, dark green, abaxial surfaces scabrous, not shiny, adaxial surfaces sparsely hairy, primary-veins conspicuous, separated by finer secondary-veins. Racemes 4-25 cm, erect, sometimes nodding, with (3) 6-15 spikelets; pedicels 1-2 mm. Spikelets 15-50 mm, terete, with (3) 7-24 florets. Glumes lanceolate to narrowly ovate, acute, firm, glabrous; lower glumes 3-6 mm, 3-6-veined; upper glumes 3-8 mm, 5-9-veined; lemmas 6-11 mm,

Discussion

Brachypodium pinnatum is native to Eurasia. It is reportedly established in Sonoma County, California, and in Massachusetts. In its native range it prefers open woodlands, forest edges, and grassland habitats, and is fairly tolerant of hot, dry conditions.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number."overlapping" is not a number.

... more about "Brachypodium pinnatum"
membranous +  and scarious +
(5)7-9-veined +
pubescent +  and puberulent +
acute +, obtuse +, rounded +  and acuminate +
Michael B. Piep +
(L.) P. Beauv. +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
basal +  and apical +
acute +, obtuse +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br />) +
not evident +
attenuate +, convolute +  and flat +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
spikelike +
Heath falsebrome +  and Tor grass +
not narrowed +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
not woody +
Calif. +, Mass. +  and Oreg. +
liquid +, soft +  and hard +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
7 +  and 24 +
subterete +  and slightly laterally compressed +
subtending +
acute +, lanceolate +  and narrowly ovate +
unequal +
uncinate +
(5)7-9-veined +
rounded +  and lanceolate +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
coriaceous +  and membranous +
ciliate +, toothed +  and entire +
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
attenuate +  and oblong +
fleshy +  and membranous +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 3 +
2 +  and 1 +
hairy +  and glabrous +
well-developed +
shorter than to slightly longer than the lemmas +
reduced +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
spikelike +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
hairy +, glabrous +  and smooth +
Introduced +
6 +  and 15 +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
simple +  and compound +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
Gramineae +
Brachypodium pinnatum +
Brachypodium +
species +
membranous +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
inconspicuous +
plant +  and subcespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +
9 +, 7 +  and 5 +