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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.
Merostachys speciosa
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1000–1500 cm long; 20 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 35 cm long; striate; antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; flabellate; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; reflexed. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; transversely wrinkled; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; erect; 10–15 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.4–0.6 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 12–20 cm long; 15–33 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 8–15 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 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 18–20 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 lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; chartaceous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 14–20 mm long; acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 16–18 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate. 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.
