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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Nassella airoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 70–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 25–35 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; nodding; 25–35 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.4–0.8 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 2.5–3.2 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; puberulous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona; with this appendage 0.4–0.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 17–33 mm long overall; with 10–15 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn 7–9 mm long; pubescent. Palea 0.3–0.6 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.4–1.6 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; 1.7–2 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.

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