Chondrosum eriostachyum

HABIT Perennial; persisting, or short-lived; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Stolons absent. Culms erect; 40–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 0.5–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–5 cm long; bearing 8–12 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 10–15 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; villous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous. Raceme-bases brief; pubescent.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous; villous, or woolly. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–9 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5–3 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension pubescent; hairy at tip. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4–8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 2.5–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gould.

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