Pariana strigosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–65 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaves cauline; 2–3 per branch. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 12–15 cm long; 45–53 mm wide; grey-green and glaucous; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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; multilateral; 7 cm long; bearing 11–12 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Rhachis internodes linear.

Sexes mixed (in a cluster at each node). Spikelets 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 cup; oblong. Pedicels fused to each other; united along margins; oblong; flattened; 2.5–3.5 mm long; villous; hairy below; tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 6–6.7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–6.7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–6.7 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 4.8–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; oblong. Anthers 18; 1.8 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 5 mm long; acute.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; deciduous with the fertile; ovate; 5–6 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2; triangular; 4–5 mm long; muticous. Male spikelet lemma 5–6 mm long; 3 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Parianeae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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