Merostachys glauca

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 30 cm long; glaucous and brown; mottled; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; flabellate; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous; 20–29 cm long; 3 times as long as wide; glaucous; hairy on margins; ciliate on shoulders; shoulders with 5 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 1.5 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; reflexed. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2–4 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base cuneate; symmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.4 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 10–13 cm long; 12–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex caudate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Rhachis pubescent on surface; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous; regular.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets rudimentary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate; 3.5 mm long; chartaceous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 5–7 mm long; sulcate; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; rudimentary.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Cat 1996.

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