Pariana multiflora

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 65–90 cm long; 2 mm diam. Culm-nodes viscid. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves cauline; 10–15 per branch. Leaf-sheaths pilose; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 5–18 mm long; dark. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.12–0.2 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 6–14 cm long; 12–19 mm wide; mid-green and purple; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Synflorescence on the same culm as leaves. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary (2–5 per culm); exserted.

Racemes 1; single; erect; linear; multilateral; 3–7.5 cm long; 0.2–0.4 mm wide; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 5–10 fertile spikelets on each (in whorls with male spikelets). Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; puberulous on surface; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Rhachis internodes linear; 13.5–14 mm long. Rhachis internode tip cupuliform.

Sexes mixed (in a whorl at each node). Spikelets appressed; subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 5 in a cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; with pedicels forming a long tube; oblong; 13.5–15 mm long; base obconical. Pedicels fused to each other; united along margins; oblong; flattened; 7–10 mm long; pubescent; tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 13.5–15 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 10–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate, or caudate. Upper glume oblong; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate, or caudate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 13.5–14.5 mm long; 1.8–2.4 mm wide; coriaceous; yellow; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 1.8–2 mm long; yellow.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; deciduous with the fertile; lanceolate, or oblong; 4–5 mm long; hairy (pubescent). Male spikelet glumes 2; lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long. Male spikelet lemma 4–5 mm long; 3 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Parianeae. Oliviera et al 2009.

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