Piptochaetium avenacioides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 100 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 15–30 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 7 mm long; pubescent (brown); pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume elliptic; 20 mm long; membranous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 15–20 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; rough above; glabrous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex pubescent; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 80–110 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 6 mm long. Column of lemma awn 6 mm long; puberulous. Palea 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Stipeae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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