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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 eremophila
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 20–60 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; longer than adjacent culm internode; retrorsely scabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–6 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 1.5–9 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle contracted; linear; 4–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple. Panicle axis dominant.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; pubescent; hairy above.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; 7–11 mm long; falling entire. Floret callus pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 7–11 mm long; 1.3–1.4 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein falling short of apex. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume cuneate; 5–8.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–7 mm long; 2.4–2.5 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 1 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 4.5–5.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface puberulous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 2–2.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.3 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 0.8–1.8 mm long; eventually exserted, or retained within floret.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.5–3.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION South America: western 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.
