Uniola peruviana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 100–135 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; unilateral; 8–10 cm long; with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 30–50 cm long. Rhachis angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; 2 -rowed. Raceme-bases pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–3 basal sterile florets; 10–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 8–10 mm long; 4–6 mm wide; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas. Floret callus 0.2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; lanceolate, or ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 4.5 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea 4 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.3 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.5–1.7 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid; isodiametric; 1.5 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Peru 1997.

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