Chondrosum chasei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; slender; 20–30(–50) cm long. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flexuous; involute; 3–15 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 1.2–2.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–8 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface woolly. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension pilose; hairy at tip; with 1–2 mm long hairs. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; cuneate; 1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6–0.9 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gould.

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