Otachyrium seminudum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; scaly. Culms erect; robust; 80–150 cm long; 5–10 mm diam. Culm-nodes swollen; pallid, or brown; pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths loose; pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 12–30 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 2.4–2.7 mm long; 1–3 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 3 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on keels at maturity; winged on keels and winged on margins. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.6–2.2 mm long; indurate; dark brown, or black; shiny; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 1.7 mm long; pallid. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Send & Sod.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Longer pedicel 1.5–2 length of shorter.

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