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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 hunzikeri
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 50–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.7 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–18 cm long; 1.5–2.6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–16 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 3–4 in number; ascending; simple. Panicle axis dominant.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; scaberulous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; dorsally compressed; 5–6.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume flabellate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein falling short of apex. Lower glume apex erose; truncate. Upper glume ovate; 4–4.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 1–2 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume apex obtuse.
FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; 4.5 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 6 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 2.6 mm long; 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension 1.5 mm long. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.
NOTES Meliceae. Nicora 2002.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
