Luzula pallidula
Luzula subg. Luzula
Eurasian woodrush, pale European wood rush
thickened.
cespitose, 9–35 cm.
basal leaves 6–11.5 cm × 1.5–4 mm, apex not callous, sparingly ciliate.
apex generally callous.
umbellate-paniculate;
glomerules 4–30 (each with 9–24 flowers), central glomerules sessile or nearly sessile, cylindric, 6–10 × 4 mm;
branches straight, erect, to 3 cm;
proximal inflorescence bract conspicuous, leaflike, equal to much longer than inflorescence;
bracts clear, sometimes variegated with purple;
bracteole margins dentate to lacerate.
spikelike or umbellate.
tepals clear to straw-colored throughout or centers brown with clear margins and apex, 1.5–2.6 mm;
outer whorl exceeding inner whorl, (outer whorl apex awned);
anthers equaling to 1.5 times filament length.
in glomerules.
light or dark reddish, shining, spheric, usually equaling inner tepal whorl.
translucent brown, ellipsoid, 0.7–1 mm;
caruncle 0.2–0.3 mm.
usually without tuft of hairs;
caruncle conspicuous to barely visible.
= 12.
Luzula pallidula
Luzula subg. Luzula
Basal leaves of Luzula pallidula are sparingly ciliate.
For discussion of the change of the widely known name for this species, see J. Kirschner (1990).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species ca. 50 (15 species in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Inflorescences dense, spikelike, though often interrupted, nodding | L. spicata |
1. Inflorescences of distinct glomerules, not spikelike, sometimes lax but not nodding. | → 2 |
2. Inflorescences of sessile glomerules only or with smaller glomerules on short branches. | → 3 |
2. Inflorescences with central glomerule(s) sessile or nearly sessile, always with other pedunculate glomerules. | → 8 |
3. Proximal inflorescence bract conspicuous, usually well-exceeding inflorescence. | → 4 |
3. Proximal inflorescence bract inconspicuous. | → 7 |
4. Seeds 1.3 mm, caruncle absent. | L. subcapitata |
4. Seeds 0.8–1.5 mm, with caruncle. | → 5 |
5. Seeds 0.8 mm, caruncle 0.2 mm | L. orestera |
5. Seeds 0.9–1.5 mm, caruncle either barely visible or at least 0.3 mm. | → 6 |
6. Capsules ovoid; caruncle barely visible. | L. groenlandica |
6. Capsules spheric; caruncle 0.3-0.8 mm | L. comosa |
7. Tepals shorter than capsule; bracteoles deep brown, dentate | L. arctica |
7. Tepals and capsule about equal; bracteoles clear to deep brown, conspicuously fimbriate | L. confusa |
8. Inflorescence branches straight. | → 9 |
8. Inflorescence branches arching. | → 14 |
9. Inflorescence branches mostly erect; glomerules mostly cylindric. | → 10 |
9. Inflorescence branches divergent as much as 90°; glomerules not cylindric. | → 12 |
10. Tepals pale or with brown central area at maturity; seeds 0.7–1 mm; caruncle 0.2–0.3 mm | L. pallidula |
10. Tepals pale brown to chestnut brown to blackish at maturity; seeds 0.9–1.7 mm; caruncle 0.2–0.7 mm. | → 11 |
11. Seeds 1.1–1.7 mm; caruncle 0.2–0.6 mm | L. multiflora |
11. Seeds 0.9–1.3 mm; caruncle 0.5–0.7 mm | L. bulbosa |
12. Leaves with callous apex; glomerules sessile to congested to spreading. | → 13 |
12. Leaves without callous apex, glomerules on elongate peduncles | L. echinata |
13. Stolons slender and short, conspicuous rhizomes present | L. campestris |
13. Stolons or conspicuous rhizomes absent. | L. comosa |
14. Inflorescence branches arching in all directions; basal leaf sheaths bluish green | L. subcongesta |
14. Inflorescence branches arching in 1 direction; basal leaf sheaths variously colored. | → 15 |
15. Basal leaf sheaths dull brown-gray to green; cauline leaves as large or larger than basal leaves | L. kjellmaniana |
15. Basal leaf sheaths shining reddish to brown to purple; cauline leaves usually smaller than basal leaves. | → 16 |
16. Basal and cauline leaves not reaching inflorescence | L. arcuata subsp. unalaschkensis |
16. Basal and especially cauline leaves often reaching or exceeding inflorescence | L. confusa |
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