Mniochloa pulchella

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 5–20 cm long. Leaves cauline. Ligule absent. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades oblong; 10–18 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Synflorescence on a separate leafless culm (much longer than sterile culms). Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; 2–3.5 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Sexes segregated; on unisexual branches; with male conjugate. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform (male), or cuneate (female).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.4–2.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface glabrous.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; persistent; lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Olyreae. TB.

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