Chasmanthium latifolium

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms 100–150 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9–20 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–15(–35) cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 basal sterile florets; 5–15(–24) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 20–40 mm long; 6–16 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5–7 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; elliptic; 6–8 mm long; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 7–11 -veined; acute. Fertile florets decreasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma ovate; 9–12 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; 11–15 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Palea bowed outwards; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 1; 4 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Centotheceae. WDC.

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