Piptochaetium virescens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 100–120 cm long; wiry. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 15–30 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 6–8.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 6–8.5 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 5–6.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface papillose; pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma hairs tawny. Lemma apex truncate; surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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