Axonopus ciliatifolius

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; slender; 50–65 cm long. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths 2–6 cm long; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.1–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades ascending, or spreading; 5–25 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; with 1–2 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle 15–30 cm long.

Racemes 2–6; digitate; ascending, or spreading; flexuous; unilateral; 5–11 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–4 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.2–0.3 mm wide; drab; glabrous on surface; scaberulous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; 3.5–4.5 spikelets per cm. Raceme-bases brief; glabrous.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels reduced to a stump.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 2.1–2.2 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 2 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; 1 length of fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; 2 -veined; without midvein. Fertile lemma 2.1–2.2 mm long; indurate; dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex without ornament. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Black 1994.

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