Melica glabrescens

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; retrorsely scabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–7 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 7–11 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous.

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 obovate; dorsally compressed; 7–8.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate, or flabellate; 7–8.5 mm long; 1.5 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 erose; obtuse. Upper glume cuneate; 4.5–5.5 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 lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; 1.8–2 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy in the middle. Lemma apex acute. Palea 3.5–4 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.5–1.7 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.2 mm long; fleshy; ciliate; truncate. Anthers 3; 1–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–2.5 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Meliceae. Torres 1995.

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