Steirachne barbata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms 15–47 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–9 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 2–7 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret, or below groups of fertile florets (upper falling together). Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas; pubescent; hairy at tip.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–2.5 mm long; 0.5–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent; free at tip; increasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–0.75 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1.5 mm long.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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