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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Rytidosperma quirihuense
HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 25–45 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–9 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–10 fertile spikelets.
Panicle linear; 4.5–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–10 mm long; pubescent.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 20–24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1–1.2 mm long; pilose; acute. Floret callus hairs 0.3–1.2 mm long.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10.5–14 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 5–6 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–14 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 5–6 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 11–13 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts; bearing 16 hair tufts in all (10 below, 6 above). Lemma hairs 0.7–2 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 6.5–8 mm long; incised 0.5 of lemma length; attenuate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 12–16 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3–4 mm long. Palea 5–6.5 mm long. Palea keels spinulose. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.4–0.6 mm long; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.8–1.8 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.8–1 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.
NOTES Arundineae. Baeza 2005.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
