Blepharidachne hitchcockii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms 4–10 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaves without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades straight; triangular; tapering towards tip; flat; 1–1.5 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth; pilose (1–1.5mm). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex acute; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle capitate; oblong; 1 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3 mm long; 1 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3 -veined; pubescent; hairy at base; lobed; 3 -fid; obtuse; awned (1 awn). Awn of lower sterile floret 2 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; not gibbous; 3 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 2 mm long overall; limb ciliate. Lateral lemma awns arising on outer edge of lobes; 0.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea ovate; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; ciliate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 1–1.5 mm long; ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Embryo projecting below grain.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Hunz & Anton 1997.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Central lobe of sterile lemmas longer and narrower than lateral.

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