Arundinella hispida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 95–185 cm long; 4–5 mm diam. Culm-internodes hollow. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths hispid. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–25 cm long; 9–16 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; hairy adaxially, or on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 25–30 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3.7–4.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.2–2.9 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex caudate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.5–2.1 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–6 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea with auriculate flaps; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface asperulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.8–0.9 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Fl Costa Rica 1993.

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