Leptochloa virgata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–110 cm long; 2–3 mm diam. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–26 cm long; 7–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 5–28 cm long.

Racemes 5–20; borne along a central axis; flexuous; unilateral; 7–11 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10–22 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–3.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 1.2–1.6 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.8–2.3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8–2.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex emarginate; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–2.2 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Pacific: north-central. North America: south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Costa Rica 1993.

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