Gouinia gracilis

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; slender; 70–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 7–14 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–6; borne along a central axis; spreading, or deflexed; unilateral; 2–4.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–15 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing distant.

Spikelets spreading, or deflexed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–10 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; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 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; 5–9 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Swallen.

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