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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Andropogon arctatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100–150 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; 15–30 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pubescent; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 3–5 cm long. Peduncle 3–5 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; 2.5–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; villous on margins. Rhachis hairs 3 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 2–3 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim.

Spikelets ascending; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 3–4 mm long; villous; with 3 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; linear; 0.5–1.5 mm long; shorter than fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs 0.33 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface deeply depressed. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 7–12 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 1.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Man Gr US 1994.

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