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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Mesosetum blakei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–75 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; flexuous; unilateral; 4–8 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5 mm wide; scabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; 3–4.8 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–4 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy below. Lower glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5.2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; thicker on margins; 5 -veined; without hair tufts, or with marginal tufts of hair; 2 hair tufts in all; eciliate on margins (but tufted), or ciliate on margins (when not tufted); acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Filgueiras.

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