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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 poecilantha
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Culms geniculately ascending; 10–55 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; retrorsely scabrous; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–1.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades 5–12 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous, or ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; linear; secund; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple. Panicle axis dominant; scabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; pubescent; hairy all along but hairs longer above; with 0.3 mm long hairs.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; falling entire. Floret callus pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 7–10 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein extending to apex. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume elliptic; 10–13 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; mid-green, or purple; without keel; 11–13 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; elliptic; 1.8–3 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.5 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long; yellow.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3–3.6 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 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.
