Aulonemia goyazensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Branch complement one, or two. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 13 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–20 cm long; 20–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or globose; effuse; 9–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate; bearing 3–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5 mm long; smooth.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 20–30 mm long; 10–25 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 6 mm long; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4 mm long; membranous; red; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 6 mm long; membranous; red; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins without cross-veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 6 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ciliate. Anthers 3; 6 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Soderstrom 1995.

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