GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Muhlenbergia implicata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 30–50 cm long; 0.5 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally pubescent; with reflexed hairs. Culm-nodes constricted; glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 4–8 cm long; 1–1.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–15 cm long; 4–8 cm wide.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous; 3–4 mm long; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.8–3.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 0.2–0.3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 0.4–0.5 mm long; 0.15 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.8–3.2 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins close to midvein. Lemma surface scabrous; rough on veins and in lines (5 lines in all). Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 12–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.4–0.7 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and northern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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