Mesosetum elytrochaetum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–50 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2–15 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 4–6 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 0.7 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Pedicels reduced to a stump; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; obtuse; 3–4 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; with a transverse fringe of hair. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; winged on margins (above); 5 -veined; with dorsal tufts of hair; 2 hair tufts in all; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; keeled above. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Swallen.

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