Steinchisma exiguiflorum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–30 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; 2–6 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–10 cm long; 0.33–0.5 of culm length. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed; rebranched near base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.4–1.5 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 acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; 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; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on flanks at maturity (and orbicular). Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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