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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 surinamensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations subterete, or flabellate. Culms robust; 100–200 cm long; 3–5 mm diam.; 1–3 -noded. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths 15–50 cm long; keeled; hirsute. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–40 cm long; 2–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal, or terminal and axillary; with 1–3 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle 35–100 cm long.

Racemes 8–10; digitate; ascending, or drooping; unilateral; 12–20 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.4–0.5 mm wide; drab; glabrous on surface; scaberulous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; 5–6.5 spikelets per cm. Raceme-bases brief; pubescent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; subacute; 3–3.2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 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; membranous; 5 -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; 1.3–1.4 length of fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy between veins. Fertile lemma 2.1–2.7 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; 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.