Imperata tenuis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 80–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 30–40 cm long; 4–5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 13–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle axis with scattered hairs. Panicle branches with scattered hairs.

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

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; unequal; plumose; hairy at tip; with 5–6 mm long hairs; tip discoid.

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; 5–6 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy generally. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy at apex.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; oblong; 0.75 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; erose; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 1; 2 mm long. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted.

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

NOTES Andropogoneae. Tovar 1994.

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