Pappophorum

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect (3/3), or geniculately ascending (3/3); robust (1/1); 6–66–200 cm long. Lateral branches lacking (1/1). Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades persistent, or deciduous at the ligule (1); stiff (1), or firm (6), or flaccid (1). Leaf-blade apex muticous (7), or pungent (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted (7), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (3).

Panicle contracted (4), or spiciform (4).

Spikelets appressed (1/1); solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets (5), or 2 fertile florets (7), or 3 fertile florets (2), or 4 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3–7.125–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes definite (7/7). Floret callus pilose (3/3).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets (2), or exceeding apex of florets (6); thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (2), or elliptic (2), or ovate (4); 0.6–0.885–1 length of upper glume; hyaline (5), or membranous (3); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex entire (7), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); emarginate (1/7), or acute (7/7); muticous (4), or mucronate (3), or awned (1). Upper glume lanceolate (2), or elliptic (2), or ovate (4); 1–1.964–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline (5), or membranous (3); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex entire (7), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); emarginate (1/7), or acute (7/7); muticous (4), or mucronate (3), or awned (1); 1 -awned (1/1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; chartaceous (2), or coriaceous (6); without keel; wingless; 5 -veined (2), or 7 -veined (3), or 8 -veined (2), or 9 -veined (3), or 11–15 -veined (2). Lemma midvein eciliate (1), or ciliate (5), or pubescent (2). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (7), or pubescent (1). Lemma margins eciliate (1), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (4), or pubescent (2). Lemma apex awned; 11 -awned (3), or 12–14 -awned (5), or 15 -awned (4), or 18 -awned (1), or 19 -awned (2), or 20–22 -awned (3), or 23–26 -awned (1). Principal lemma awn 1.5–2.25–3 length of lemma. Lateral lemma awns of irregular length. Palea 1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined (2/2). Palea keels smooth (7), or scaberulous (1); eciliate (6), or ciliolate (2). Apical sterile florets 1 in number (1), or 2 in number (7), or 3–4 in number (2); barren; in a clump; rudimentary (4), or elliptic (2), or oblong (2). Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3 (2/2).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (1/1); ovoid (2/2). Embryo 0.4–0.4667–0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform (2/2).

DISTRIBUTION North America (4), or South America (6).

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