GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Chondrosum quiriegoense

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 3–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–3; single, or borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–2 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; bearing 16–20 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 4–5 cm long. Rhachis flattened; puberulous on surface; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like; extension 10–12 mm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pubescent. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2 mm long overall. Palea 3.5–4 mm long; 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension 1 mm long; glabrous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; cuneate. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4–4.5 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous; 0.6–1 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Arrieta et al 2006.

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