Streptostachys macrantha

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident (villous). Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with curly dead sheaths. Culms 50–70 cm long. Culm-internodes 5–15 cm long. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths 6–14 cm long; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 7–14 cm long; 7–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 16–35 cm long.

Panicle open; oblong; 5–10 cm long; 1.5–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes. Panicle branches stiff; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels clavate; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; with obtuse base; dorsally compressed; 5.9–6.8 mm long; 2.1–2.5 mm wide; falling entire. Spikelet callus square; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume and supplemented by thickened base of upper glume; 0.5 mm long. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes and elongated below basal sterile floret. Rhachilla elongation stout.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.3–3.5 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5–5.8 mm long; 0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Upper glume surface glabrous, or hispidulous; hairy above. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous, or coriaceous; 3–5 -veined; with veins transversely connected at apex; glabrous, or hispidulous; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret hyaline. Fertile lemma ovate; 5.1–5.9 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; pubescent. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; 3.6 mm long. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Zuloaga.

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