Mesosetum bifarium

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 46–53 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 4–21 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 4–8 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; 1–2.5 mm wide; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–2 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.8–5.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.3–4.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2.5–5.2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–5.2 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; with a dorsal tuft of hair. Upper glume margins ciliate (below). Upper glume apex acute; muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; thicker on margins; 5 -veined; with marginal tufts of hair and with conspicuous apical hairs; 3 hair tufts in all; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 3.8–4 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; purple.

FRUIT Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Filgueiras.

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