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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Megalachne berteroniana
HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 8–13 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5–3 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus evident; pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume linear; 10–12 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 8–17 mm long. Upper glume linear; 13–20 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 20–25 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 10–15 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; reflexed; 30–35 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous; 2-toothed. Anthers 3. Ovary unappendaged; pubescent on apex.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 6–7 mm long; hairy at apex. Hilum linear; 0.75 length of caryopsis.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.
NOTES Poeae. WDC.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.