Myriocladus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 45–277–800 cm long; firm (10), or wiry (1), or woody (1). Culm-internodes shorter and closely spaced at top of culm (3/4), or alternately elongated and bunched (1/4); terete. Lateral branches lacking (4), or sparse (6), or ample (4). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (11), or erect (1). Ligule an eciliate membrane (11), or a fringe of hairs (1). Leaf-blade base without a false petiole (8), or with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath (4). Leaf-blades persistent (9), or deciduous at the ligule (3); linear (2), or lanceolate (6), or oblong (2), or ovate (4); herbaceous (2), or coriaceous (10). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (10), or with distinct cross veins (2). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (10), or axillary (2).

Racemes single (2), or borne along a central axis (10); appressed (2), or erect (1), or ascending (10), or spreading (2); unilateral (10/10); bearing few fertile spikelets (2), or many spikelets (10); bearing 3 fertile spikelets on each (1/2), or 4–5 fertile spikelets on each (2/2), or 6–7 fertile spikelets on each (1/2). Rhachis angular (1/1).

Spikelets appressed (2/2); solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets (6), or 2 fertile florets (9), or 3 fertile florets (4), or 4 fertile florets (1); with a barren rhachilla extension (5), or with diminished florets at the apex (7). Spikelets linear (1), or elliptic (2), or oblong (9), or cuneate (1); laterally compressed; 3–6.472–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret, or above glumes but not between florets (1). Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret (8), or elongated below proximal fertile floret (4); definite (8/8); glabrous (6/8), or pubescent (2/8).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume subulate (1), or linear (3), or lanceolate (8), or oblong (1); 1 -veined (1/1). Lower glume lateral veins absent (1), or distinct (11). Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous (7), or pubescent (3), or hispidulous (1), or hispid (1). Lower glume apex obtuse (3/8), or acute (2/8), or acuminate (1/8), or attenuate (2/8), or setaceously attenuate (1/8); muticous (11/11), or awned (1/11). Upper glume lanceolate (9), or elliptic (2), or ovate (1); 0.6–0.65–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined (2/2), or 2–3 -veined (1/2). Upper glume surface glabrous (7), or pubescent (3), or hispidulous (2). Upper glume apex obtuse (2), or acute (7), or acuminate (1), or attenuate (1), or setaceously attenuate (1); muticous (9), or mucronate (2), or awned (3); 1 -awned (3/3).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (2), or ovate (10); membranous; 1 -veined (1/1); obtuse (6/11), or acute (2/11), or acuminate (2/11), or setaceously attenuate (2/11); muticous (11), or mucronate (2), or awned (2). Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or elliptic (11); coriaceous; without keel; wingless; 5 -veined (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves (11), or with a median groove (1); glabrous (10), or pubescent (2). Lemma margins eciliate (6), or ciliolate (4), or ciliate (2), or pubescent (1). Lemma apex obtuse (6/10), or acute (3/10), or setaceously attenuate (1/10); without ornament (11), or pubescent (1); muticous, or mucronate (2), or awned (2); 1 -awned (2/2). Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate (9), or ciliate (3). Palea surface glabrous (7), or pubescent (6). Palea apex muticous (10), or with excurrent keel veins (2). Apical sterile florets 1 in number (7/7); barren (1/1); rudimentary (5/7), or linear (1/7), or ovate (1/7).

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous (1/1). Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous (1/1).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid (1/1); isodiametric (1/1). Embryo 0.15 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION South America.

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