Andropogon pohlianus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; scaly. Culms erect; 100–170 cm long; 2.5–4 mm diam. Culm-internodes terete, or channelled; solid; 2.5–18 cm long; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes swollen; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves cauline; 17–50 per branch. Leaf-sheaths 2–9.2 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty, or ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.4–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades tortuous; lanceolate; 7.1–25 cm long; 9–20 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 10–18 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear. Peduncle 11.1–18.3 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; 2–9.2 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels cuneate; 4–6 mm long; ciliate; with (2–)3–4.5 mm long hairs; tip cupuliform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; 5.9–10 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; scabrous; glabrous; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; 4.7–5.6 mm long; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4–9 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, or elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally. Lower glume surface deeply depressed; scabrous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume linear; coriaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 4.6–4.7 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25–0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 2.9–3.1 mm long. Palea keels scabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4–0.7 mm long; truncate. Anthers 1–3; 0.6–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Andropogoneae. SAR 1999.

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