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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 macra
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 20–100 cm long. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; with winged keel; antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Leaf-sheath auricles erect and connate forming a tooth opposite blade; 2–4 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute, or convolute; 6–18 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; pubescent; hairy above.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1(–2) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 11–13 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–10 mm long; 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. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6.5–10 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7.5–9.5 mm long; 2.3–2.5 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel. Palea 4.5–5.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scaberulous; pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.3 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–2.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION 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.
