Trisetum foliosum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 35 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long. Leaf-blades 7–11 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 14 cm long; 1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 3–5.5 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2 mm long; pilose; hairy above; with 1 mm long hairs. Floret callus 0.2–0.8 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6 mm long; membranous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; curved; 9 mm long overall. Palea gaping; 4 mm long; hyaline. Palea keels ciliolate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

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

NOTES Aveneae. Swallen 2002.

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