Glyceria multiflora

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–70 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 7–15 mm long; lacerate; truncate, or acute. Leaf-blades floating; flat, or conduplicate; 10–30 cm long; 5–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–40 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 12–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 15–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–4.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long; green, or dark brown. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Pat 1994.

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