Olyra holttumiana

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 200 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes purple; glabrous. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 7–8 mm long; purple. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.4–0.7 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 24–35 cm long; 68–90 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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

Panicle open; ovate; 15–18 cm long; 20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; whorled at lower nodes; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 35–50 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 elliptic; 35–50 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 15 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex caudate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 20 mm long. Upper glume elliptic; 35–50 mm long; 2.4–3.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 11 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex caudate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 11 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 14.5–15.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel; 11 -veined. Lemma surface smooth; glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.8 mm long. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 10.2–10.4 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 7–9 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.

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