Echinochloa oplismenoides

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 5–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–15; borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10–15 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing crowded; irregular; 2–4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; subequal. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; acuminate; 4–5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex cuspidate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface hispid. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; hispid; acuminate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret terminal; 8–16 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; gibbous; 4–4.5 mm long; 1.5–1.7 mm wide; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Nov Gal 1997.

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