Sucrea maculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 35 cm long; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes ridged. Culm-nodes constricted; brown, or black; glabrous to pubescent. Leaves cauline; 4–8 per branch. Leaf-sheaths narrower than blade at the collar; ribbed; papillose; pilose. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades ascending to drooping; triangular, or ovate; 6–7 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Synflorescence on a specialized culm bearing a single leaf-blade, or on a separate leafless culm. Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle open; pyramidal; loose; 15 cm long; 5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes; 7–8 cm long. Panicle branches hispid.

Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary to in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate (short).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma to similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 9–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; firmer on margins (cartilaginous); without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume margins eciliate. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned (awn tip); 1 -awned. Upper glume ovate; 1 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; with cartilaginous margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile florets bisexual. Fertile lemma elliptic to ovate; 7 mm long; herbaceous to indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma surface pitted. Lemma margins covering most of palea. Palea 0.9–1 length of lemma; membranous, or indurate; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; cuneate. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Hilum linear.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; linear; 7–10 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous to awned.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Olyreae. TB.

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