Axonopus polydactylus

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms erect; 50–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 10–50 cm long; keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–60 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous to hirsute. Leaf-blade apex obtuse; soon splitting, or simple.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; with 1–2 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle 40–80 cm long.

Racemes 7–30; digitate; ascending; unilateral; 5–30 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.3–0.5 mm wide; glabrous on surface; smooth on margins, or scaberulous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; 8 spikelets per cm. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels reduced to a stump; bearing a few hairs, or glabrous; hairy at base; with 0.2–1 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; subacute; 1.4–1.9 mm long; 0.5–0.6 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; 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 1.4–1.9 mm long; indurate; dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; without ornament, or pubescent. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION 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.