Imperata brevifolia

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; tapering towards tip and sheath; 6–12 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 10–30 cm long.

Racemes bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis tough; subterete. Rhachis internodes filiform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3–4 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 9–12 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface villous. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface villous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; oblong; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; erose; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gr Texas 1994.

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