Melica longiflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or rambling; 15–200 cm long; 2–5 mm diam. 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; 3–7 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; lacerate. Leaf-blades 7–22 cm long; 1.5–5 mm wide; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface scabrous (retrorsely); rough on both sides; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous, or ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 5–30 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous. Panicle branches secund.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; scabrous; ciliate; hairy above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 8–13 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 ovate; 8–13 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein extending to apex, or falling short of apex. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–8.5 mm long; 1.6–2 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 13–15 -veined. Lemma lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate; hairy in the middle. Lemma hairs 1–2 mm long. Lemma apex erose; emarginate, or obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; elliptic, or cuneate; 1.5–3 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.3–0.4 mm long; fleshy; glabrous, or ciliate; truncate. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5–3 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.25–0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Meliceae. Schick 1995.

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