Olyra juruana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending; 35–110 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes constricted; brown; bearded. Leaves cauline; 5–7 per branch. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; hispid. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.4–0.7 mm long; brown. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 14–20 cm long; 45–59 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.

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

Panicle open; pyramidal; 6–14 cm long; 1–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 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. Pedicels (female) clavate; angular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 13.5–18.5 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 lanceolate; 13.5–18.5 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–16 mm long; 1.3–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8.8–10.7 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy all along. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea indurate; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea apex excavated.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 6–6.5 mm long; light brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 4.2–6.7 mm long; hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION 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.