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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 mucronata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 75–100 cm long. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes purple. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; without keel; smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–8 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–40 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 10–15 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 4–8 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2–5 mm long; scabrous (above).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 0.5–0.7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above and on veins. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex acute, or acuminate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2–2.2 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–2.5 mm long; red.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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