Ichnanthus hoffmannseggii

HABIT Annual. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–50 cm long. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths pilose, or hirsute. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or elliptic; 5–8 cm long; 15–20 mm wide; membranous. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal, or terminal and axillary.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–18 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets ascending; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; angular; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets. Floret callus winged; with apical wings adnate to lemma; these appendages 0.5–0.9 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume hairs yellow. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; pilose; bearing yellow hairs; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2–3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Stieber.

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