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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Pharus vittatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long; 3 mm diam. Culm-internodes solid. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 1 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades inverted; elliptic; 6–14 cm long; 30–80 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation slanting obliquely from midrib; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 6–15 cm long; pubescent above.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–20 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 ascending, or spreading; 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; 20–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 2.7–4.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.25 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 20–23 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; with hooked hairs. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex acute; without appendage (or almost so). Palea linear; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 1.4–1.7 mm long. 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; 3–5 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Phareae. = Pharus cornutus. Fl Costa Rica.

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