Piptochaetium leiopodum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–2 mm long; entire, or bilobed; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; 10–15 cm long; 0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; elliptic; 5–8 cm long; 1–2 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.5–1 mm long; glabrous, or sparsely hairy; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–8.5 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–7.5 mm long; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 3–4 mm long; indurate; dark brown, or black; keeled; lightly keeled. Lemma surface papillose; rough above. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex with a membranous corona; with this appendage 1.8–2 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn eccentric; bigeniculate; 12–15 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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