Andropogon brasiliensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 34–64 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 3.5–17 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 5.5–11 cm long. Peduncle 8–19 cm long.

Racemes 2–3(–5); paired, or digitate; 2.5–6 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; villous on margins. Rhachis hairs 3–4 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 2–3(–4) 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 linear; 2–3(–4) mm long; villous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; lanceolate; 2–5 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–6.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally; 4 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface concave. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume linear; 4.1–5 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate; muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3.9–4.5 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliate on margins; fringed above. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.4–0.9 mm wide; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25–0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 16–22 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1.2–2.8 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels. Palea apex entire, or erose; acute; glabrous, or ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.7 mm long. Anthers 3; 0.7–1.2 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis 1.5–1.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Zanin & Longhi-Wag 2005.

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