Streptochaeta spicata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Butt sheaths papery; distinctly ribbed; glabrous, or pilose. Culms scandent; 35–105 cm long; 2–4 mm diam.; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes (sometimes). Culm-internodes hollow. Culm-nodes glabrous to pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; glabrous on surface, or pubescent (sometimes); outer margin glabrous, or hairy (near summit). Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded to setose. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect; 1–9 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base simple to broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate to ovate; 11–16(–20) cm long; 3–5(–6) mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes 1; single; erect; paucilateral; 9–16 cm long; bearing 5–19 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular; pubescent on surface.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.9–1.3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–23 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes several; 5 empty glumes; whorled; similar.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 17–28 mm long; herbaceous, or indurate; without keel; 7–13 -veined. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn coiled; flat below; 30–90 mm long overall. Palea present; reflexed at apex; tightly convolute around flower; 0.6 length of lemma; coriaceous; without keels. Palea apex divided to base; acuminate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; lanceolate; 14–23(–30) mm long; scarious; veined; acute. Anthers 6. Filaments united in a tube (at the base). Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear, or lanceolate; biconvex. Hilum linear; 0.7 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Streptochaeteae. TB.

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