Triscenia ovina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 20–50 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; filiform; angular in section; 10–25 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 3–10 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; distant; simple; 2–4 cm long. Panicle branches angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acute; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.75 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 2003.

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