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Descriptions

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

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

Chondrosum scorpioides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; slender; 20–35 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute; 2.5–7(–9) cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage (2 bracts).

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 3.5–5 cm long; bearing 50–90 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis semiterete; glabrous on surface; terminating in a spikelet. 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; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with central lobe bidentate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 1.5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 2 mm long; longer than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension pubescent; hairy at tip. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; in a clump; oblong; 2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4–4.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.8–2.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gould.

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