Steirachne diandra

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; yellow. Culms 20–40 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; 3–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 4–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–11 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; 2–3 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.7–0.8 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; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1.5 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.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in lower 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.