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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Melica argyrea

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 12–70 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; retrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–7 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; involute, or convolute; 1–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–27 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; 5–8 mm long; falling entire. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate, or flabellate; 5–8 mm long; 1.4–1.6 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein falling short of apex. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy in the middle. Lemma hairs 0.5–1 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 3.5–4 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1–1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.2–0.3 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 0.8–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.5–1.8 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Meliceae. Torres 1995.

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