Piptochaetium palustre

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 18–35 cm long; 1–2 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes 7–13 cm long. Culm-nodes constricted; brown, or purple; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 5–6.5 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.3–1.4 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades convolute; 3–8 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 15–25 fertile spikelets. Peduncle 6–8.5 cm long.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2.5–8 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 7–8.5 mm long; 1–1.3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.2–1.7 mm long; pilose; pungent. Floret callus hairs 0.33 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6.5–7.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; purple (below); without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–8.5 mm long; hyaline; purple (below); without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblanceolate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 6–6.2 mm long; 0.9–1.1 mm wide; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface papillose and striate. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex with an annular corona and surmounted by a ring of hairs; with corona 0.6–0.7 mm wide; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 25–35 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 5 mm long. Palea surface papillose.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Stipeae. Ciadella 2004.

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