Tridens flaccidus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 8–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume oblong; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.25–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or acute; mucronate. Upper glume oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Palea bowed outwards; 3.3 mm long. Palea keels smooth. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Embryo not projecting. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC 1993.

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