Piptochaetium seleri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 15–65 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 10–25 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 4–10 cm long; 3–6 cm wide. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume obovate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 3.5–4 mm long; indurate; light brown; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma hairs tawny. Lemma apex truncate; surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 11–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

FLOWER Lodicules 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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