Spartina ciliata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes absent, or short. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; 10–50; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a multilateral false spike; appressed; unilateral; 2–5 cm long; bearing 15–25 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 15–40 cm long; pilose. Rhachis angular; smooth on margins; ciliate on margins; terminating in a spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; 4–8 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume linear; 6–10 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–20 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex attenuate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 8–12 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy above. Lemma margins scaberulous. Lemma apex emarginate. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 4–7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Mobberley 1993.

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