Schizachyrium parvifolium

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 3–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate; 3 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 clavate; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary; comprising 2 unequal glumes without lemmas; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2–3 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; distinctly veined; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 5 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; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled frontally. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex entire; muticous. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Man Gr WI 1997.

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