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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Uniola paniculata

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 120–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5–3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 60–90 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; paucilateral; 3–15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20–50 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; irregular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 basal sterile florets; 12–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 15–35 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; ovate; 7–11 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3–9 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 7–11 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3–9 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 3–5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. North America: south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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