Vaseyochloa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms 50–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; drooping; unilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–10 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular. Raceme-bases filiform.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; chartaceous; without keel; wingless; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; pilose. Lemma apex emarginate, or obtuse. Palea readily splitting down midline; 0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; laterally compressed; concavo-convex; striate; apex bicornate.

DISTRIBUTION North America.

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