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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Axonopus laxiflorus

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Culms robust; 70–100 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent, or bearded. Leaves mostly basal; without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths 6–40 cm long; keeled; pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent, or deciduous at the ligule; 40–80 cm long; 4–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse; asymmetrical.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; with 1–2 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle 10–50 cm long.

Racemes 10–20; borne along a central axis; ascending, or spreading; unilateral; 5–20 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.3 mm wide; with scattered hairs, or glabrous on surface; smooth on margins, or scabrous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; 4–5.5 spikelets per cm. Raceme-bases brief; pubescent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels reduced to a stump; 0.3–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 2.8–3.3 mm long; 1 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; membranous; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy between veins.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; 1.1 length of fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; 5–7 -veined; prominently veined; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy between veins. Fertile lemma 2.6–2.9 mm long; indurate; yellow, or light brown; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; without ornament. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Black 1994.

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