Olyra standleyi

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes short. Culms scandent; 200–300 cm long; 5–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; 20–35 cm long; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes swollen; brown; glabrous, or pubescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blade base cordate; symmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long; petiole glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blades oblong, or ovate; 14–30 cm long; 40–70 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

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

Panicle open; globose; 9–17 cm long; 5–25 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; whorled at lower nodes, or whorled at most nodes; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches secund; pubescent; bearded in axils.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 18–25 mm long; 2.2–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 18–25 mm long; 1.3–1.5 length of upper glume; herbaceous; mid-green, or light brown, or purple; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface glabrous, or hispid; inner surface pilose. Lower glume apex attenuate; muticous. Upper glume lanceolate; 12.5–19 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; mid-green, or light brown, or purple; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface glabrous, or hispid; inner surface pilose. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8–9.5 mm long; 1.9–2.5 mm wide; indurate; pallid; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pitted. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea indurate; 4 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1 mm long. Anthers 3; 5–7 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 6.3 mm long; light brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 10–14 mm long; glabrous, or hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; awned.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana and northern South America.

NOTES Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.

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