Merostachys argyronema

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; light green and dark green; striped, or mottled; distally hispid; with reflexed hairs. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; flabellate. Leaves 7–8 per branch. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 5 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.4 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9–12 cm long; 12–16 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 5 cm long. Rhachis angular; pilose on surface; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets rudimentary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 7 mm long; membranous; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 11 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2001.

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