Aegopogon bryophilus

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms geniculately ascending; 10–25 cm long; 0.2–0.8 mm diam. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 15–25; borne along a central axis; spreading; cuneate; unilateral; 0.3–0.4 cm long; bearing a triad of spikelets. Central inflorescence axis 2–4 cm long. Rhachis obsolete; deciduous from axis.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; 1 mm long; scabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; lanceolate; laterally compressed; 0.5–1.5 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes membranous; glabrous; entire; acuminate; awned; both glumes awned; with 0.5–1 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1; exserted from glumes; 1-awned; with 1.5–3 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 1–1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex entire; acuminate; muticous. Upper glume linear; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex entire; acuminate; muticous.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; lanceolate in profile; 3–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with outer lobes longer; with lanceolate lobes; with lobes 0.5 mm long; incised 0.1–0.3 of lemma length; acuminate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5–10 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 0.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; awns 0.5–2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Disseminule comprising a branch.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. South America: northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Beetle.

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