Mesosetum gibbosum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 30–100 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–16 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels fused to internode; oblong; 1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.2 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; villous; hairy below. Lower glume hairs white. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous; hairy on veins. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume hairs white. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; villous; bearing white hairs; acuminate. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. 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.