Steinchisma cupreum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–60 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; conduplicate; 5–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3–11 cm long; contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 2.4 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on flanks at maturity (and orbicular). Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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