Rhipidocladum martinezii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms geniculately ascending; 8–16 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; flabellate. Leaves 2–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 1.5–2.5 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.1–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.13 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–8 cm long; 2.5–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary. Axillary inflorescences compact (about culm node). Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 2–4 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–4 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing distant.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 25–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2.7–4.5 mm long; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes two, or several; 2–3 empty glumes; persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–4 mm long; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–3 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–11 mm long; chartaceous; when present without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 3–5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 11–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough below. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–6 mm long overall. Palea 9.5–10 mm long; 4–6 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; lanceolate; 2 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 6–7 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 5.5–6.1 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Bambuseae. Davidse & Pohl 1995.

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