e-Key v3 - *Periballia
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Poaceae - Pooideae - Aveneae - Aveninae - *Periballia Trin.

Description :

  • Annual, tufted or culms solitary
  • Leaf blade linear, expanded or rolled; ligule an unfringed membrane
  • Inflorescence an open panicle; spikelets not secund, pedicelled
  • Spikelet small, less than 3 mm long, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes ± equal, shorter than spikelet, similar, membranous, 1-3-nerved, awnless
  • Florets 2, bisexual, separated by an elongated internode; lemma lanceolate, rounded on back, irregularly toothed, 3-7-nerved, awnless; callus hairy; palea shorter than lemma, rounded on back
  • Lodicules 2
  • Stamens 3
  • Ovary glabrous
  • Caryopsis narrowly oblong, flattened on one face
  • x = 7 (4)

Nomenclature:

  • *Periballia Trin.
    • Trinius: 133 (1820)
    • Clayton & Renvoize: 131 (1986)
    • Gibbs Russell et al.: 265 (1990)
    • Watson & Dallwitz: 711 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 3, Mediterranean
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: * Periballia minuta (L.) Asch. & Graebn., naturalised, Western Cape

References:

  • CLAYTON, W.D. & RENVOIZE S.A. 1986. Genera graminum. Grasses of the world. Kew Bulletin . Additional series 13
  • GIBBS RUSSELL, G.E., WATSON, L., KOEKEMOER, M., SMOOK, L., BARKER, N.P., ANDERSON, H.M. & DALLWITZ. M.J. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 58
  • TRINIUS, C.B. 1820. Fundamenta agrostographiae . Heuber, Vienna
  • WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994. The grass genera of the world , revised edn. CAB International, Oxon