Andropogon glaucophyllus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 100–200 cm long; 6–12 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 10–16.5 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib. Leaf-blades 17–40 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole lanceolate; 10–18 cm long.

Racemes 2–6; digitate; 3–12 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 1.6–2.8 mm long. Rhachis internodes clavate; 0.8 length of fertile spikelet. 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; 0.6 length of fertile spikelet; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; 4.2–5.8 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–7.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs 0.8–1.3 mm long.

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 primary vein scaberulous. 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; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.2–5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 2–3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex entire (when awnless), or dentate; 2 -fid; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 0–5.5 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis 2.2–4 mm long; dark brown.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Herve & Valls 1995.

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