Agnesia

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–50 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath, or bracts; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes single; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each.

Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 11–15 mm long; falling entire, or breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 5–8 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; indurate; without keel; wingless. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Palea indurate.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; linear. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma awned.

DISTRIBUTION South America.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.