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Descriptions

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

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

Muhlenbergia inaequalis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–75 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; brown. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 15–26 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 25–30 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 5–8 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.5–1.8 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume elliptic; 1.6–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or obscure. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; flexuous; 10–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy below.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.1–1.2 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Soderstrom 2000.

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