Gouinia papillosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms erect; 100–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 12–30 cm long; 6–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; flexuous; unilateral; 10–25 cm long; secondarily branched; secondary branches racemulose. Central inflorescence axis 30–40 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing lax. Raceme-bases filiform.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–6.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins excurrent, or extending close to apex. Lemma margins eciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6–12 mm long overall. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on flanks. Palea apex acuminate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Swallen.

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