Schizachyrium

HABIT Annual (23), or perennial (38). Rhizomes absent (52), or short (9), or elongated (1). Stolons absent (59), or present (1). Culms erect (28/40), or geniculately ascending (4/40), or decumbent (2/40), or prostrate (7/40), or rambling (4/40); robust (1/7), or slender (6/7); 5–65.02–300 cm long; firm (59), or wiry (1); without nodal roots (1/4), or rooting from lower nodes (4/4). Culm-internodes elliptical in section (2/2). Lateral branches lacking (1/25), or sparse (11/25), or ample (13/25). Ligule an eciliate membrane (37), or a ciliolate membrane (23). Leaf-blades filiform (6), or linear (56), or lanceolate (1); herbaceous (59), or coriaceous (1); stiff (1), or firm (59). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (2/3), or widened (1/3). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (3/3).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence simple (15), or compound (46); scanty (29/45), or linear (5/45), or paniculate (10/45), or fastigiate (3/45), or globose (1/45). Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (4), or terminal and axillary (56); subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (7), or a spatheole (53); exserted (33), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (26), or enclosed (4). Spatheole linear (49/53), or lanceolate (6/53); membranous (1/11), or herbaceous (10/11). Peduncle widened at apex (3/3).

Racemes single; bearing 3–8–14 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete (5/49), or semiterete (44/49). Spikelet packing contiguous (58), or lax (2). Rhachis internodes filiform (7), or linear (10), or oblong (6), or clavate (30), or cuneate (13). Rhachis internode tip transverse (3/3); cupuliform (16), or crateriform (44).

Spikelets squeezed between internode and pedicel (19/59), or appressed (34/59), or ascending (5/59), or spreading (2/59); in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile (59), or sessile and pedicelled (1); 1 in the cluster (59), or 2 in the cluster (1). Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled (59/59); 1 in the cluster (59/59). Pedicels filiform (11), or linear (24), or columnar (1), or oblong (2), or clavate (16), or cuneate (8), or inflated (1); tip widened (3/7), or cupuliform (2/7), or lobed (2/7).

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets absent (1), or represented by awns (2), or represented by single glumes (5), or rudimentary (24), or well-developed (29); deciduous with the fertile (56/57), or separately deciduous (1/57). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (24/55), or awned (35/55).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (16), or lanceolate (38), or elliptic (5), or oblong (3), or ovate (2); laterally compressed (17), or subterete (1), or dorsally compressed (42); 2–5.477–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief (55), or square (1), or oblong (2), or cuneate (2); glabrous (2/56), or pubescent (28/56), or pilose (22/56), or bearded (4/56); base obtuse (59), or acute (1); attached obliquely (1/51), or inserted (50/51).

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear (12), or lanceolate (42), or elliptic (7), or ovate (1); chartaceous (27), or cartilaginous (6), or coriaceous (29); 2-keeled (59/59); wingless (54), or winged on keel (6); 2 -veined (1/8), or 3 -veined (2/8), or 4 -veined (1/8), or 5 -veined (3/8), or 6 -veined (1/8), or 7 -veined (3/8), or 8–9 -veined (1/8), or 11–13 -veined (1/8). Lower glume intercarinal veins absent (6/47), or obscure (15/47), or distinct (26/47). Lower glume surface convex (41), or flat (13), or concave (8), or with a longitudinal median groove (1), or deeply depressed (1); smooth (50), or asperulous (9), or scabrous (1); without pits; glabrous (49), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (5), or pilose (11), or hirsute (1), or villous (4). Lower glume apex entire (38), or dentate (22), or lobed (1); 2 -fid (23/23); emarginate (4/6), or obtuse (1/6), or acute (1/6), or acuminate (1/6); muticous (57), or mucronate (1), or awned (2). Upper glume linear (2), or lanceolate (56), or oblong (3); membranous (56), or chartaceous (4); 1-keeled; wingless (59), or winged on keel (2); 1 -veined (9/21), or 2 -veined (1/21), or 3 -veined (13/21). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (58), or ciliate (2). Upper glume surface smooth (58), or asperulous (1), or scabrous (1); glabrous (58), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (2). Upper glume apex entire (59), or dentate (1); 3 -fid (1/1); obtuse (1/24), or acute (8/24), or acuminate (15/24); muticous (55), or mucronate (3), or awned (2); 1 -awned (2/2).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear (1), or lanceolate (4), or elliptic (1), or oblong (54); hyaline (59), or membranous (1); 0 -veined (8/31), or 2 -veined (23/31); obtuse (1/3), or acute (2/3). Fertile lemma linear (4), or lanceolate (4), or elliptic (2), or oblong (49), or ovate (1); hyaline (58), or membranous (2); without keel; wingless; 0 -veined (1/39), or 1 -veined (31/39), or 2 -veined (1/39), or 3 -veined (6/39). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins eciliate (51), or ciliolate (7), or ciliate (2). Lemma apex entire (6), or dentate (3), or lobed (54); 2 -fid (56/56); incised 0.1–0.6536–0.9 of lemma length; muticous (4), or awned (59); 1 -awned (59/59). Principal lemma awn apical (3/59), or from a sinus (56/59); straight (1/59), or flexuous (1/59), or geniculate (58/59). Palea present (2), or absent or minute (58).

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (2/2). Anthers 3 (16/16).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (18/18); linear (2/9), or lanceolate (3/9), or ellipsoid (3/9), or oblong (2/9), or ovoid (2/9). Embryo 0.33–0.4686–0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa (25), or Temperate Asia (4), or Tropical Asia (8), or Australasia (8), or Pacific (5), or North America (17), or South America (20).

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