Cortaderia peruviana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 100–130 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 40–60 cm long; 4–7 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; lanceolate; 20–40 cm long; 6–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2 -nate; 5–12 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; angular; 1.5–5 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.2 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.2 mm long; bearded; with longer hairs below. Floret callus hairs 1–1.5 mm long; 0.2 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–9.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy below. Lemma hairs 3 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes, or lanceolate lobes; with lobes 2–2.5 mm long; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; spreading; flat below; 20–25 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 10–15 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 4.5–5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back and on flanks. 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.

NOTES Arundineae. Conert.

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