Cortaderia hieronymi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 10–60 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 15–30 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 5–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 0.7–1 mm long; bearded; with longer hairs below. Floret callus hairs 0.4 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1–1.1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; attenuate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 0.6 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 5–5.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma hairs 1.5–2 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes; incised 0.5–0.6 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; flat below; 16–40 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 10–25 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea lanceolate; 0.5 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea keels villous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; ciliate.

MALE Male inflorescence bisexual similar to female.

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

NOTES Arundineae. Conert.

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