Zeugites pittieri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 200–400 cm long; 5–10 mm diam. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths 15–25 cm long; ribbed; puberulous. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 0.3–0.7 cm long; petiole pilose. Leaf-blades ovate; 25–45 cm long; 45–70 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle 4–10 cm long.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 20–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 12–20 mm long; falling entire; readily shedding apical florets (as a group). Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 9–11 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume margins ciliolate (apex & base). Upper glume oblong; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 7–8 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 5 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; keeled; 7–13 -veined. Lemma apex emarginate, or acute; pubescent; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets 6–14 in number; male; ovate; 3.5–5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas muticous, or mucronate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; veined. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Centotheceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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