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Descriptions

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

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

Munroa squarrosa

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 10–15 cm long. Culm-internodes alternately elongated and bunched; antrorsely scabrous. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 1–5 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 2–3 fertile spikelets; terminal and axillary (in a leafy fascicle); shorter than basal leaves; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile; heteromorphic (uppermost smaller and lacking lower glume).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume linear; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent, or extending close to apex. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy in the middle. Lemma apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.5–1.5 mm long overall. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; papillose.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; laterally compressed; smooth (translucent). Embryo projecting below grain.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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