Danthonia malacantha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 14–75 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 0.5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 19–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–24(–100) fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; 2.7–18 cm long; 1.5 cm wide; bearing many spikelets, or few spikelets. Primary panicle branches ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–14 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 15.5–28.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus evident; 0.8–1.2 mm long; pubescent, or pilose. Floret callus hairs 0.2–3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 11–24 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10.5–23 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 9–18.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma hairs 3–4 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 5–12.5 mm long; incised 0.66 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–19.5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1–5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea lanceolate; 4.3–6 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.4–0.9 mm long; fleshy; glabrous, or ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.7–4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.7–2.5 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.2–0.3 length of caryopsis.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in lower sheaths; 4.7–7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Arundineae. Baeza 2004.

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