Pereilema ciliatum

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 20–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–6(–10) cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 3–7 cm long; 0.5 cm wide. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Panicle branches flat; pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1–3 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 4–12 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; cuneate; 2–4 mm long. Pedicels oblong.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by awns; comprising a tuft of awns; 2–4 mm long; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes pilose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume subulate; 2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume. Lower glume surface pilose. Upper glume subulate; 2 mm long. Upper glume surface pilose.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; (1–)5–15(–25) mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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