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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Saccharum angustifolium

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; robust; 90–200 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades erect; 30–40 cm long; 4–6 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 20–25 cm long.

Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; pilose on surface. Rhachis internodes linear; 4.5–6 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels linear; 5–6 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6–8 mm long; 1–1.25 mm wide; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs 6–8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled. Lower glume surface flat; pilose. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 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; 4 mm long; hyaline; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight; 12–15 mm long overall. Palea 2.5–3 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2.8–3.3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Cat 1994.

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