Pharus mezii

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Culm-internodes solid. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades inverted; elliptic; 11–25 cm long; 23–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation slanting obliquely from midrib; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 18 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple. Panicle axis puberulous; with hooked hairs; bearing deciduous branches. Panicle branches stiff; pubescent; with hooked hairs.

Sexes mixed. Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; curved (sigmoid); subterete; 9–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–6 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; dark brown; without keels; 6–9 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; dark brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 9–11 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above; with hooked hairs. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex acute; with a conical beak; with this appendage 0.5–1 mm long. Palea linear; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3; pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; sulcate on hilar side.

MALE Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; lanceolate; 2.4–2.7 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, and western South America.

NOTES Phareae. Fl Costa Rica.

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