Allolepis texana

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending; 25–65 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5–1.4 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 2.5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–9; borne along a central axis; ascending, or appressed; paucilateral; 1–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–20 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; 2.5–3.5 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 7–9 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 7.5–10 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 3(–7) -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 7.5–10 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea tightly convolute around flower; bowed outwards; 0.9 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long.

FRUIT Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female; of racemes along a central axis. Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 4–14 flowered; persistent; lanceolate; 9–23 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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