Briza

Briza L.

Briza is a genus of ca. 20 species, predominantly distributed in Eurasia and South America. One species is native in Belgium, Briza media L. All species in this account (native as well as non-native) are cultivated as ornamentals (Jäger & al. 2008).

1 Plants perennial. Ligule truncate, 0,5-1,5 mm long (native) === Briza media

1 Plants annual. Ligule acute, 2-6 mm long === 2

2 Inflorescence racemose, few-flowered (usually less than 15 spikelets), often unilateral and pendent. Spikelets 8-25 mm, up to 20-flowered, usually (at least some) soft hairy === 1. Briza maxima

2 Inflorescence a panicle with numerous spikelets (usually more than 20). Spikelets 2,5-5 mm, less than 10-flowered, usually glabrous === 2. B. minor

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Literature

Bayon N.D. (1998) Cladistic analysis of the Briza complex (Poaceae, Poeae). Cladistics 14(3): 287-296.

Jäger E.J., Ebel F., Hanelt P. & Müller G. (eds.) (2008) Rothmaler Band 5. Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Krautige Zier- und Nutzpflanzen. Springer Verlag, Berlin: 880 p.

Jansen P. (1951) Flora Neerlandica, deel 1, aflevering 2. KNBV, Amsterdam: 272 p.

Snow N. (2007) Briza. In: Barkworth M.E. & al. (eds.), Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 24. Oxford University Press, New York-Oxford: 612-614.

Stace C. (2010) New flora of the British Isles, 3th ed.: XXXII + 1232 p. Cambridge University Press.

Tutin T.G. (1980) Briza. In: Tutin T.G. & al. (eds.), Flora Europaea, vol. 5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 173.