Zeugites panamensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 100 cm long. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled; reticulately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; erose. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate; with a false petiole; petiole 0.2–2 cm long. Leaf-blades elliptic, or oblong; 9–21 cm long; 20–48 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 10–15 cm long; 10–12 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2–10(–15) mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume obovate; 5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma oblong; gibbous; 6 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets 3–5 in number; male; with internodes 0.7 mm long between them; ovate; 5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Centotheceae. Swallen 1994.

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