Olyra bahiensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 27–50(–100) cm long; 1–3 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes hollow; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline; 6–11 per branch. Leaf-sheaths pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.4 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 6.5–12(–15) cm long; 12–23(–47) mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 13–18(–21) cm long; 1–2(–3) cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis pubescent.

Sexes segregated; on unisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled; 2 in a cluster. Pedicels (female) columnar; angular; scabrous; glabrous; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 13–18(–21) mm long; 2.5–2.8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 6.5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; (5–)7–9 -veined. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 7–14 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 6.5–8 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; (5–)7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2–3 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 5.8–6.5 mm long; 1.6–1.8 mm wide; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface smooth; pilose; hairy all along. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea indurate; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 4–5.7 mm long; hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 4–5.7 mm long; 3–5(–7) -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Olyreae. Oliveira & Longhi-Wagner 2007.

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