Melica argentata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms rambling; straight, or zigzag; 40–200 cm long; 2–4 mm diam.; 6–10 -noded. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; retrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–10 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; lacerate. Leaf-blades 2–15 cm long; 1.5–5.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches secund.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; ciliate; hairy all along but hairs longer above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1(–2) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 5–8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–6 -veined. Lower glume primary vein falling short of apex. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume oblong; 5.5–9 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–8.5 mm long; 1.8–2.4 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins without cross-veins. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 1.5–1.8 mm long. Lemma apex emarginate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Palea surface papillose. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.5–2.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.25 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.8–3 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Meliceae. Schick 1995.

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