Luziola fragilis

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms decumbent; slender; 5–10 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 1–4.5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in different inflorescences. Inflorescence composed of racemes; axillary.

Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 0.5–1 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–6 fertile spikelets on each.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma surface smooth; eventually splitting (into fibres). Lemma apex acute. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma; 5 -veined; without keels. Palea apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules absent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp; ovoid; 1 mm long; dark brown; striate.

MALE Male inflorescence terminal; unlike female; a single raceme. Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; linear; 4–5 mm long. Male spikelet glumes absent.

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

NOTES Oryzeae. Swallen.

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