Mesosetum agropyroides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; slender; 20–80 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–28 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 2.2–6 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5 mm wide. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.8–5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate (below). Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.8 mm long; 0.75–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; with a dorsal tuft of hair. Upper glume margins ciliate (above). Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; thicker on margins; 5 -veined; ciliate on midvein; smooth on margins, or tuberculate on margins; ciliate on margins; bearing hairs 2 mm long; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 4–4.8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis plano-convex; 3–3.3 mm long. Embryo 0.66 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Filgueiras.

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