Olyra tamanquareana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes constricted; brown; glabrous. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; puberulous; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 3 mm long. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.4 cm long; petiole pilose. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 13–25 cm long; 30–55 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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

Panicle contracted; linear. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches hispid.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 35 mm long; 4.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation 1–1.2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 35 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface asperulous to scabrous; inner surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous. Upper glume elliptic; 35 mm long; 2.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface asperulous to scabrous; inner surface pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 13–13.2 mm long; indurate; pallid and purple; mottled with last colour; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pitted; glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 9 mm long; light brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a floret.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 5 mm long; hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.

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