Pariana parvispica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms arching; 35–50 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Culm-internodes hollow; distally with pubescent line. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline; 6–13 per branch; distichous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 6–12 mm long; dark. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.2 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9–13 cm long; 20–30 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Synflorescence on a separate leafless culm. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; linear; multilateral; 3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Rhachis internodes linear; 9 mm long. Rhachis internode tip cupuliform.

Sexes mixed (in a cluster at each node). Spikelets appressed; subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 5 in a cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; with pedicels forming a long tube; oblong; 9–10 mm long; base obconical. Pedicels fused to each other; united along margins; oblong; flattened; 8 mm long; glabrous; tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 8 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma oblong; 8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–1.5 mm long; veined. Anthers 2. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted. Ovary glabrous.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; deciduous with the fertile; ovate; 1.5 mm long; hairy. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Parianeae. Fl Costaric 1994.

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