Coelorachis tuberculosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 90–150 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary. Peduncle widened at apex.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 2–6 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface. Rhachis internodes clavate; 4–5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets sunken; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels clavate; semiterete; 5–6 mm long; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary; comprising 2 unequal glumes without lemmas; ovate; 1–2 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate; with central peg; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged above. Lower glume surface smooth, or muricate; rough on flanks. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma elliptic; hyaline; without keel.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA. South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl N Amer 1994.

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