Psilurus incurvus

Psilurus is a monotypic genus of herbaceous plants belonging to the Poaceae family. Its only species, Psilurus incurvus , is native to the Mediterranean region to Afghanistan.

Description

It is an annual plant with stems up to 40 cm tall, striated, glabrous or antrorso-scabrid, especially in the inflorescence. Leaves with 0.1-0.2 mm ligule, truncate; blade 10-40 x 0.2-0.5 mm, canaliculate, glabrous. 3-15 (-20) cm spikes. More or less scarious glumes, the lower one of the terminal spikelet 0.2-0.4 mm; the upper one 0.4-1 mm, triangular-ovate, more or less scarious. Lemma 3.7-5 mm, linear-lanceolate, with antrorso-scabrid back; awn 3-6.5 mm, scabrid, more or less violaceous. Palea 3.7-4.5 (-5) mm, linear-lanceolate, anttorso-scabride at the apex. Caryopsis of c. 4 mm, glabrous. 2n = 28. Flowers from March to June.

Taxonomy

Psilurus incurvus was described by (Gouan) Schinz & Thell. and published in Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich 58: 40. 1913.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek words psilos, slender, and oura, tail, referring to the slender spike.

Cytology

It has a number of chromosomes of: x = 7. 2n = 14 and 28. 2 and 4 ploidies. ‘Large’ chromosomes.

Sinonimia

• Asprella aristata (L.) Kuntze
• Asprella nardiformis Host
• Nardus aristata L.
• Nardus incurva Gouan
• Nardus monandra (Cav.) Raspail
• Psilurus aristatus (L.) Duval-Jouve
• Psilurus hirtellus Simonk.
• Psilurus incurvus var. hirtellus Asch. Graebn.
• Psilurus nardoides Trin.
• Psilurus rotboellioides Griff.
• Rottboellia monandra Cav.