Leaf blade
linear, expanded or rolled, flaccid; ligule an unfringed membrane
Inflorescence
a bristly single spike; spikelets solitary, sessile, distichously imbricate on main axis
Spikelet
10-15 mm long, laterally compressed, falling with glumes (not disarticulating in cultivated species); glumes narrow, unequal, ± as long as spikelet (excluding awns), strongly keeled, acuminate to awned, upper glume 1-nerved
Florets
2 or 3, bisexual or uppermost floret reduced and sterile; lemma oblong, lanceolate, glabrous, strongly keeled with single median keel on back, 5-nerved, nerves apically nonconfluent, awned; awn usually obvious, straight, glabrous; palea 2-keeled, bidentate, almost equalling lemma
Global
: Species ± 5, Mediterranean, E Europe to central Asia
Southern Africa
: Species 1:
Secale africanum
Stapf, 'Wild Rye', Western Cape (Roggeveld area)
References:
CHIPPINDALL, L.K.A. 1955. A guide to the identification of grasses in South Africa. In D. Meredith,
The grasses and pastures of South Africa
. Central News Agency, Cape Town
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
HAMMER, K., SKOLIMOWSKA, E. & KNÜPFFER, H. 1987. Vorarbeiten zur monographischen Darstellung von Wildpflanzensortimenten:
Secale
L.
Kulturpflanze
35
LINNAEUS, C. 1753.
Species plantarum
. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
LÖVE, Á. 1984. Conspectus of the
Triticeae
.
Feddes Repertorium
95
STAPF, O. 1898-1900.
Gramineae
.
Flora capensis
7
WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994.
The grass genera of the world
, revised edn. CAB International, Oxon
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