Zeugites munroanus

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or rambling; slender; 25–50 cm long; wiry. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a false petiole; petiole 0.5–1 cm long. Leaf-blades ovate; 2–6 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 1–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or reflexed. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 3–4 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 9 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume apex erose; truncate. Upper glume obovate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex erose; truncate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma obovate; gibbous; 4 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma apex obtuse; pubescent. Apical sterile florets 1–3 in number; male; with internodes 0.7 mm long between them; ovate; 5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Centotheceae. Fl Guatemala 1994.

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