GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Andropogon durifolius

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 90–150 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches sparse. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or terete; 30–60 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2(–3); paired; 6–9 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels clavate; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; 4 mm long.

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 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 laterally. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface concave. Upper glume linear; coriaceous; 1-keeled. 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; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 3–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gr Bahia 1995.

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