Muhlenbergia lucida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; without keel; scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–6 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flexuous; involute; 15–30 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 15 cm long. Primary panicle branches 5–6 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flexuous; 10–15 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous, or geniculate; 12 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface villous; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Swallen 2002.

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