Muhlenbergia glabriflora

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms 30–95 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally pubescent. Lateral branches ample; arising from upper culm. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–4(–8) cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle 1–4 cm long.

Panicle contracted; linear; dense; 2–5 cm long; 0.3–0.5 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.2–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.2–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.3–0.5 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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