Gymnopogon burchellii

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 35–80 cm long. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths without keel. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades spreading; lanceolate; 1.6–6 cm long; 2–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7(–10); digitate; unilateral; 8–21 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant. Raceme-bases filiform.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (1–)2(–3) fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.3–4.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.9–4.7 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.3–4.8 mm long; 1.4–1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.6–2.6 mm long; hyaline; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse, or acute; muticous. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; hyaline. Rhachilla extension 0.5 length of fertile floret.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1–1.8 mm long.

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

NOTES Cynodonteae. Smith.

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