Trichoneura elegans

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–110 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; flat, or involute; 6–30 cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–20 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 1.75–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; lightly keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy in the middle. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1992.

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