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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sohnsia filifolia
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 30–100 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.8–1 mm long. Leaf-blades curled; involute; 10–40 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides.
INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; ovate; 8–21 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches pubescent.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; puberulous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus pilose.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–6.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.7–7 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–7 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate (on either side). Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with outer lobes shorter and with central lobe bidentate; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flat below; 3–4 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising dorsally; 3–4 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3.
MALE Male inflorescence similar to female; a panicle. Male spikelets distinct from female; 3–5 flowered; ovate; 5–9 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; awned (3 awns 0.5mm long).
DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.
NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
