Deyeuxia deserticola

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 16–27 cm long. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 3–8.3 mm long; bilobed; acuminate. Leaf-blades convolute; 10–19 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with sclerenchyma strands widened to form a discontinuous subepidermal layer. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; shorter than basal leaves.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 7–11 cm long; 0.5–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2.5–3.5 cm long. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous. Panicle branches scabrous; with scattered hairs, or glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.6–6.2 mm long; scaberulous, or scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–7.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; with elliptic scar. Floret callus hairs 0.6–1 mm long; 0.1–0.15 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–7.4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow, or mid-green, or purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7.4 mm long; membranous; yellow, or mid-green, or purple; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.2–5.8 mm long; membranous; yellow, or mid-green, or purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex dentate; 3–4 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.33–0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 5–6.8 mm long overall; clearly exserted from spikelet, or not or scarcely exserted from spikelet; with a straight or slightly twisted column, or with twisted column. Palea 3.2–4.6 mm long. Rhachilla extension 2.2–2.4 mm long; villous; with 3.2–3.8 mm long hairs.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; linear; 1.8–2.6 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a floret.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Aveneae. Villav 1996.

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