Melica spartinoides

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; hairy. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 12 cm long; 5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 22 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple; 4–9 cm long. Panicle branches secund.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 4 mm long; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.5 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Meliceae. Smith 1995.

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