Steinchisma laxum

HABIT Annual, or perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–150 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 6.5–30 cm long; 6–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 5–30 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches angular; secund.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; subacute; 1–1.7 mm long; 0.7–0.8 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 1–1.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.9 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and middle Atlantic ocean. Australasia: Australia. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 1999.

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