| Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Lolium | > | temulentum |
| Synonyms: | |
| Common names: | Darnel (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
A rather robust annual. Culms up to 90 cm. tall, 2-4-noded, solitary or tufted, somewhat stout, erect or geniculately ascending, glabrous, smooth or scabrous towards the spike. Leaf-sheaths prominently striate, rather tight, dorsally rounded, smooth or scaberulous, glabrous; Ligule c. 2 mm. long. Leaf-laminae 6-30(-40) x 0·3-1·3 cm., linear, tapering to a fine point, with 2 narrow auricles at the base, usually expanded, firm, scaberulous or smooth except for the margins. Spikes 10-30 cm. long, erect, rigid, pale-green; rhachis stout, somewhat waved, dorsally scaberulous or smooth. Spikelets 12-25 x 4-6 mm., 4-10-flowered, elliptic-oblong, oblong or obovate-oblong in outline, moderately compressed about their own length or slightly more apart. Superior glume 7-9-nerved, as long as or longer than the rest of the spikelet, narrowly oblong, obtuse, rigid, smooth or asperulous. Lemmas 6-8 mm. long, 5-9-nerved, muticous or awned, dorsally rounded, elliptic to ovate, somewhat rigid, smooth; awn (if present) up to 20 mm. long, straight, scabrous. Anthers c. 2·5 mm. long, linear. Caryopsis c. 7 mm. long, elliptic-oblong in outline, tightly enclosed by the lemma and palea. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Growing as a weed in arable land and also in waste places. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Mediterranean region introduced into most temperate regions, Zimbabwe |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | W,C,E |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 37. Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 42 - 44. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 106. |
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