Leaf blade linear, flat; ligule an unfringed membrane
Inflorescence a contracted or spike-like panicle, often cylindrical; spikelets unequally pedicelled, pedicel with a thickened tip
Spikelet linear-oblong, laterally compressed, rachilla produced as a fine hairy bristle or not produced; glumes unequal, longer than spikelet, dissimilar, lanceolate, usually membranous above and indurated at base, swollen and rounded on back near base, keeled above, 1-nerved, acuminate
Floret 1, bisexual, lemma elliptic, rounded dorsally, less firm than glumes, hyaline, finely 5-nerved, hairy, awned from back; awn capillary, geniculate and twisted in lower half, much longer than body of lemma; palea as long as lemma, elliptic, 2-lobed, 2-nerved, pilose dorsally
Lodicules 2, hyaline, glabrous
Stamens 3
Ovary subglobose, glabrous; styles plumose
Caryopsis ellipsoid
x = 7
Nomenclature:
*Gastridium P.Beauv.
Palisot de Beauvois: 21 (1812)
Chippindall: 96 (1955)
Hubbard: 100 (1970)
Tutin: 236 (1980)
Clayton & Renvoize: 138 (1986)
Gibbs Russell et al.: 172 (1990)
Watson & Dallwitz: 416 (1994)
Distribution & Notes:
Global: Species 2, mainly Mediterranean
Southern Africa: Species 1: *Gastridium phleoides (Nees & Meyen) C.E.Hubb., naturalised, Western Cape
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
HUBBARD, C.E. 1970. Flora of tropical East Africa. Gramineae (Part 1)
PALISOT DE BEAUVOIS, A.M.F.J. 1812. Essai d'une nouvelle agrostographie. Fain, Paris
TUTIN, T.G. 1980. Flora europaea 5
WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994. The grass genera of the world, revised edn. CAB International, Oxon
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Biodiversity Advisor, developed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and its Data Partners, is a system that will provide integrated biodiversity information to a wide range of users who will have access to geospatial data, plant and animal species distribution data, ecosystem-level data, literature, images and metadata.
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