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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Aegopogon

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending (1), or decumbent (3), or prostrate (1); slender (1/1); 4–16.75–40 cm long; without nodal roots (1/2), or rooting from lower nodes (2/2). Lateral branches sparse (1/1). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades firm (1), or flaccid (3).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; spreading; cuneate; unilateral; bearing a triad of spikelets. Rhachis obsolete; deciduous from axis. Raceme-bases brief (2), or cuneate (2).

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile (2), or pedicelled (2); 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear (2), or oblong (2).

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (1), or mucronate (1), or awned (3).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 1.5–2.662–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear (1), or obovate (1), or cuneate (3); 0.8–0.9–1 times length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth (3), or scabrous (1); without pits; glabrous (3), or pubescent (1). Lower glume apex entire (1), or lobed (3); 2 -fid (3/3); obtuse (2), or acute (1), or acuminate (1); muticous (2), or awned (3). Upper glume linear (1), or obovate (1), or cuneate (3); 0.33–0.595–0.75 times length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth (3), or scabrous (1); glabrous (3), or pubescent (1). Upper glume apex entire (1), or lobed (3); 2 -fid (3/3); obtuse (2), or acute (1), or acuminate (1); muticous (2), or awned (3); 1 -awned (3/3).

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic (1), or ovate (3); laterally compressed; lanceolate in profile; membranous; keeled; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins without ribs (1), or ribbed (3). Lemma surface smooth (3), or scabrous (1); unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (3), or puberulous (1). Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid (1), or 3 -fid (3); incised 0.1–0.2333–0.3 of lemma length; acuminate (3/3); awned; 1 -awned (1), or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical (3), or from a sinus (1). Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal. Palea 1 times length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Palea surface glabrous (2), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (1). Palea apex dentate; awned.

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (3/3); fleshy (3/3). Anthers 3. Stigmas 2 (3/3).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform (2/2); isodiametric (2/2); biconvex (2/2); smooth (1/1); apex unappendaged (1/1). Embryo 0.3 times length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Tropical Asia (1), or North America (3), or South America (3).

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Version: 8^th November 2006.