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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 filifolium

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; slender; 30–65 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; 14–35 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; flexuous; unilateral; 3–6.5 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.5 mm wide; glabrous on surface; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; lax.

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; 4–5.2 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–5.2 mm long; 0.75–1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliate, or tuberculately ciliate. Lower glume hairs white. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5.2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume margins smooth, or tuberculate; ciliate. Upper glume hairs white; 2–2.5 mm long. 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; scabrous; rough at apex; glabrous; with marginal tufts of hair; 2 hair tufts in all; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 3.2–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–3 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.