Piptochaetium medium

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–80 cm long; 3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 2.5–20 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide.

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

Panicle open; ovate; equilateral, or nodding; 10–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–2 mm long; pilose; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 9–11 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 8.5–10.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 4.5–6.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose; rough above. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex with an annular corona; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn eccentric; bigeniculate; 30–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Buenos Aires 1997.

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