Mesosetum chlorostachyum

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 30–60 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent, or bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–10 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pilose. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 5–12 cm long. Rhachis angular; glabrous on margins, or ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; lax; irregular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1 mm long; glabrous, or ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 2–3 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–2.8 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scaberulous; rough above; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.7–3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis 2–2.3 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. 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.