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Descriptions

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

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

Schizachyrium muelleri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–90 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; paniculate; 20–25 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole linear; 3–4 cm long; membranous.

Racemes 1; single; sinuous; 2–3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; plumose on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform; 3–5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip crateriform; with scarious rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; plumose; tip widened.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary; linear; dorsally compressed; 1–2 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; muticous, or awned; one glume awned; with 0–3 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface concave; asperulous; glabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–15 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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