Olyra ciliatifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–130 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes swollen; purple. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to pilose. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long; petiole pilose. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 9–24 cm long; 36–85 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle hispid above.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 9.5–19 cm long; 3.5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous.

Sexes segregated; on unisexual branches and bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled; 2 in a cluster. Pedicels (female) columnar; angular; glabrous, or ciliate; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 16–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 10–12 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface glabrous; inner surface pilose (near apex). Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 10–12 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 7.7–10.2 mm long; 1.2–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous; inner surface pilose (near apex). Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 6.5–7 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface smooth; pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 2–4 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 4.3–5 mm long; light brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 5 mm long; glabrous, or hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.

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