Saccharum alopecuroides

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; robust; 150–300 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 40–80 cm long; 12–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Peduncle hirsute above.

Panicle open; elliptic; dense; 20–30 cm long. Panicle axis pilose.

Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels linear; villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 10–15 mm long; 2 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; pallid; 2-keeled. Lower glume surface flat; pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; pallid; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; acute. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; 0 -veined. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; flat below; 10–15 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gr Texas 1994.

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