Gouinia paraguayensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 30–75 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–10 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–25; borne along a central axis; in several whorls; spreading, or deflexed; unilateral; 2–18 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–20 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing distant. Raceme-bases filiform; 10–60 mm long.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 20–40 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–12 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; 3.5–5.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–5.5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–9 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins eciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 4.5–15 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate. Palea apex awned. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. Swallen.

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