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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.
Melica chilensis
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally hispid; with reflexed hairs. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; retrorsely scabrous; pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; involute; 6–18 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; firm, or flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; simple. Panicle axis dominant; retrorsely scabrous. Panicle branches secund; retrorsely scabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; pubescent.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 7.5–8.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.
GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 4–6 mm long; 1 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 acute. Upper glume obovate; 6.5–8 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5.5–7 mm long; 2.3–2.5 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 4–4.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.5–3 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.
NOTES Meliceae. Torres 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
