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Descriptions

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

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

Bothriochloa hirtifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–130 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; paired, or digitate; 4–9 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 1–2 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; with a translucent median line (also present in internodes); ciliate; with 1–2 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 5.5–8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 9 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; without pits, or pitted; glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3–4.4 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 20–30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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