Otatea

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 200–468.6–1040 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes with distinct supra-nodal ridge (5/5). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one (3), or two (2), or three (5); in a horizontal line (1/1); with subequal branches (6/7), or 1 branch dominant (1/7). Culm-sheaths persistent (2/5), or deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (1/5), or deciduous (2/5); without auricles (2/2). Culm-sheath blade linear (1), or lanceolate (1), or triangular (6); constricted at base (1/3), or narrower than sheath (1/3), or as wide as sheath at base (1/3). Ligule an eciliate membrane (7), or a ciliolate membrane (1). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades persistent (5), or deciduous at the ligule (3); filiform (1), or linear (4), or lanceolate (5). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (7), or with obscure cross veins (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (5/5).

Panicle open (5/5).

Spikelets solitary (5/5). Fertile spikelets pedicelled (5/5).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets (5/5), or 4 fertile florets (4/5), or 5 fertile florets (3/5), or 6–7 fertile florets (1/5); with diminished florets at the apex (5/5). Spikelets linear (3/5), or oblong (2/5); laterally compressed (5/5); 9–23.9–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity (5/5); disarticulating below each fertile floret (5/5). Rhachilla internodes definite (5/5); glabrous (3/5), or pubescent (2/5).

GLUMES Glumes persistent (5/5); shorter than spikelet (5/5). Lower glume lanceolate (3/5), or ovate (2/5); herbaceous (5/5); without keels (5/5); 3 -veined (1/5), or 5 -veined (2/5), or 7 -veined (2/5), or 8–9 -veined (1/5). Lower glume surface smooth (4/5), or scabrous (1/5); without pits (5/5). Lower glume apex attenuate (1/3), or setaceously attenuate (2/3); muticous (2/5), or awned (3/5). Upper glume lanceolate (3/5), or ovate (2/5); herbaceous (5/5); without keels (5/5); 2–6 -veined (1/5), or 7 -veined (4/5), or 9–11 -veined (1/5). Upper glume surface smooth (4/5), or scabrous (1/5). Upper glume apex acuminate (1/4), or setaceously attenuate (3/4); muticous (2/5), or mucronate (1/5), or awned (2/5); 1 -awned (3/3).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (3/5), or ovate (2/5); herbaceous (5/5); without keel (5/5); wingless (5/5); 9–10 -veined (3/5), or 11 -veined (5/5), or 12–15 -veined (2/5). Lemma surface asperulous (2/5), or scabrous (3/5); unwrinkled (5/5); without grooves (5/5). Lemma apex awned (5/5); 1 -awned (5/5). Palea 6 -veined (1/1). Palea keels separated (4/5), or contiguous above a sulcus (1/5); wingless (4/5), or winged (1/5); smooth (3/5), or scabrous (2/5). Palea surface glabrous (2/5), or pubescent (2/5), or pilose (1/5). Palea apex dentate (2/2). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (5/5).

FLOWER Lodicules 3 (5/5); membranous (3/3); glabrous (3/5), or ciliate (2/5). Anthers 3 (4/4). Stigmas 2 (1/3), or 3 (2/3). Ovary glabrous (5/5).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (3/3); orbicular (1/1); trigonous (1/1); apex rostrate (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION North America, or South America (2).

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