Gouinia brasiliensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms erect; 70–160 cm long. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; smooth, or scaberulous; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–35 cm long; 5–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–14; borne along a central axis; spreading, or drooping; unilateral; 4–16 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20–40 cm long. Rhachis angular. Raceme-bases brief; pubescent, or pilose.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5.5–7 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 5–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. Swallen.

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