Melica violacea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; pilose; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect; 20–70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; pilose; with simple hairs, or reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–6 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 2.5–12.5 cm long; 1.8–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; secund; 5–18 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple. Panicle axis dominant.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; curved; ciliate; hairy all along but hairs longer above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1(–2) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 8–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 8–12 mm long; 1.3–1.6 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; purple; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume obovate; 5–9 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; purple; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblanceolate; 4.5–8 mm long; 2–3.2 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; dark brown, or purple; without keel; 11–13 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 1.2–2 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Palea lanceolate; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.5–2.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; 0.1–0.3 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Meliceae. Schick 1999.

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