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.

Arthropogon

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (4), or short (1). Culms erect (1/2), or geniculately ascending (1/2), or decumbent (1/2); slender (1/1); 30–50.5–100 cm long. Culm-nodes constricted (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (1/1). Ligule an eciliate membrane (2), or a ciliolate membrane (2), or a fringe of hairs (1). Leaf-blades filiform (2), or linear (3), or lanceolate (1); stiff (1), or firm (4).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open (4), or contracted (1).

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs (1). Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1–2 in the cluster (1/1). Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (2), or elliptic (1), or oblong (3); laterally compressed; 4–6.3–9 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus brief (4), or linear (1); pubescent (2), or pilose (2), or bearded (2).

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet (1), or reaching apex of florets (4); firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume subulate (2), or linear (3), or lanceolate (1); coriaceous (3/3); without keels (3/3); 3 -veined (3/3). Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex awned (3/3). Upper glume linear (1), or lanceolate (1), or oblong (3), or ovate (1); coriaceous; with undifferentiated margins (4), or scarious margins (1); without keels; 3 -veined (3), or 5 -veined (2), or 6–7 -veined (1). Upper glume surface smooth (3), or scabrous (2). Upper glume apex entire (4), or dentate (2); 2 -fid (2/2); awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male (2), or barren (3); with palea (4), or without significant palea (1). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (1), or oblong (4); membranous (1), or coriaceous (4); 3 -veined (3), or 5 -veined (2), or 6–7 -veined (1); obtuse (4), or acute (1); muticous (4), or awned (1). Fertile lemma linear (4), or lanceolate (1); membranous (4), or scarious (1); without keel; wingless; 1 -veined (2), or 3 -veined (3). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex obtuse (4/4). Palea present (4), or absent or minute (1); embraced by lemma (3/4), or separating from lemma above (1/4); 0.5–0.6867–0.9 length of lemma; hyaline (4/4); 0 -veined (1/2), or 3 -veined (1/2); without keels (4/4).

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 2 (1), or 3 (4). Stigmas 2 (4/4).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (4/4). Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America.

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