Colanthelia

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect (1/6), or decumbent (1/6), or scandent (5/6); 50–418–1000 cm long; woody; rooting from lower nodes (1/1). Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes with distinct supra-nodal ridge (5/5). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; in a horizontal line; with subequal branches (1), or 1 branch dominant (6); thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (2/2); without auricles (2/2). Culm-sheath blade linear (1/1), or lanceolate (1/1). Ligule a ciliolate membrane (5), or absent (2). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear (1), or lanceolate. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (6), or composed of racemes (1); terminal (6), or terminal and axillary (1).

Panicle open (6/6).

Racemes single (1/1); bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each (1/1). Spikelet packing distant (1/1).

Spikelets deflexed (1/1); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (1), or pedicelled (6).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets (2), or 3 fertile florets (4), or 4 fertile florets (3), or 5–7 fertile florets (2), or 8 fertile florets (1), or 9–10 fertile florets (2), or 11–12 fertile florets (1); with a barren rhachilla extension (1), or with diminished florets at the apex (6). Spikelets linear (5), or lanceolate (1), or oblong (1); laterally compressed; 9–40–115 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure (1), or two (5), or several (2); persistent (6/6); shorter than spikelet (6/6). Lower glume oblong (6/6), or ovate (1/6); 0.5–0.71–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous (6/6); without keels (4/6), or 1-keeled (2/6); 1–2 -veined (1/4), or 3 -veined (3/4), or 5 -veined (1/4). Lower glume lateral veins absent (1/6), or obscure (1/6), or distinct (5/6). Lower glume surface without pits (6/6); glabrous (3/6), or pubescent (2/6), or hirsute (1/6). Lower glume apex obtuse (2/6), or acute (5/6); muticous (5/6), or mucronate (1/6). Upper glume oblong (6/6), or ovate (1/6); 0.5–0.73–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous (6/6); without keels (4/6), or 1-keeled (2/6); 1–2 -veined (1/4), or 3 -veined (2/4), or 5 -veined (1/4), or 7 -veined (1/4). Upper glume surface glabrous (3/6), or pubescent (2/6), or hirsute (1/6). Upper glume apex obtuse (2/6), or acute (5/6); muticous (5/6), or mucronate (1/6).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or elliptic (4), or oblong (1), or ovate (1); chartaceous (2/2); keeled (4/4); wingless; 5 -veined (3/5), or 6 -veined (2/5), or 7 -veined (4/5). Lemma lateral veins prominent (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex obtuse (3/6), or acute (2/6), or acuminate (1/6); muticous (6), or mucronate (2). Palea 0.9–0.95–1 length of lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (6); 2 -veined (3/5), or 4 -veined (1/5), or 6 -veined (1/5). Palea keels separated (6), or contiguous above a sulcus (1); smooth (6), or scaberulous (1); eciliate (4), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (2). Palea apex entire (1/2), or dentate (1/2); muticous (6), or with excurrent keel veins (1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (6/6).

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous (5/5); glabrous (1), or ciliate (6). Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America.

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