Olyra ecaudata

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending; 300–400 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes brown; pubescent, or bearded. Leaves cauline; 5–7 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.8–1.1 mm long; brown. Leaf-blade base cordate; symmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 21–35 cm long; 50–75 mm wide; stiff; dark green. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Synflorescence on a separate leafless culm. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–20 cm long; 10–25 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at lower nodes; 10–15 cm long; bearing 2–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous; pilose; bearded in axils.

Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1–2 in a cluster. Pedicels (female) clavate; angular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 8–11.6 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; 8–11.6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 5–10 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface pilose; inner surface pilose (at apex). Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–6 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 8–11.6 mm long; 1.2–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy on veins; inner surface pilose (at apex). Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 6.6–8.3 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel; 7–8 -veined. Lemma surface pitted; glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea indurate; 4 -veined; without keels. Palea apex excavated.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 3.3–4.3 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 4.8 mm long; light brown. Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 7.5–11 mm long. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; awned; with 5 mm long awn.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.

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