Eustachys floridana

HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 40–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; chartaceous; dark brown; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex emarginate; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; cuneate; 1.5–2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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