Jouvea straminea

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms prostrate; 20–40 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane, or a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 1.5–5 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Synflorescence compound; fasciculate. Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1 fertile spikelets; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Spikelets solitary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; thorn-like; curved; subterete; 15–30 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus cuneate; base obtuse. Rhachilla internodes terete; spongy and fused to embedded lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma linear; 6–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma margins closed except for an apical pore; covering most of palea (embracing it). Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels. Rhachilla extension glabrous (pungent).

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear.

MALE Male inflorescence unlike female; a single raceme (in upper axils). Male spikelets distinct from female (lemmas free); 5–30 flowered; 10–40 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2, or 1. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and western South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Pohl.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Stolons slender, on surface, their internodes 6–10cm; leaf-sheaths less than 0.33 of internode.

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