Olyra obliquifolia

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–200 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous, or pilose; with reflexed hairs. Culm-nodes swollen; purple; pubescent. Leaves cauline; 5–9 per branch. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 3–3.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.4 cm long; petiole pilose. Leaf-blades oblong; 16–30 cm long; 40–90 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous; glabrous, or ciliate.

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

Panicle open; corymbose; 12–16 cm long; 12–20 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis bearing deciduous branches. Panicle branches hispid.

Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled; 2–4 in a cluster. Pedicels (female) cuneate; angular; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 13–17 mm long; 3.4–4 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation 0.6–1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 13–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose; inner surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous. Upper glume elliptic; 13–15 mm long; 1.3–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose; inner surface pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 9.2–11.5 mm long; 3.1–3.4 mm wide; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface pitted; glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 5.8 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 5.5–5.7 mm long; glabrous, or hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Lemma pits rounded or hexagonal.

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