Saccharum asperum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 120–300 cm long; 10–15 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 50–75 cm long; 15–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Peduncle 20 cm long; hirsute above.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 17–25 cm long; 7–12 cm wide.

Racemes 3–8 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear; 2.5 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels linear; 2.5 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 5–7 mm long; 1.2–1.4 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 2-keeled; 2–3 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; scabrous; rough on flanks; glabrous. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3 mm long; hyaline. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight; 5–7 mm long overall.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 3.

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

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Guiana 1994.

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