Muhlenbergia capillaris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; slender; 60–100 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–5(–8) mm long. Leaf-blades curved; flat, or involute; 20–50 cm long; 1–2(–4) mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 30–40 cm long; 8–17(–20) cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1–1.5(–2) mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1–1.5(–2) mm long; 0.25–0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex erose; acute, or acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1.5(–2.5) mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; (2–)5–13 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex acuminate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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