Acroceras fluminense

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 20–40 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4–10(–15) cm long; 12–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–6 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 3–6 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.6–2.8(–3.3) mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy at apex; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.6–2.8(–3.3) mm long; indurate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; pubescent, with a shallow excavation, and with a little green crest. Palea elliptic; involute; 1 length of lemma; indurate. Palea apex pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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