Scutachne amphistemon

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–40 cm long; wiry. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 3–12 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple; 1–2 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1–2 in the cluster. Pedicels angular; unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 7–8 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; base obtuse. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.75 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 5 -veined; with cross-veins; pubescent; hairy at apex; acute, or acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.25 length of lemma. Fertile lemma ovate; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex rostrate; pubescent. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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