Eremitis

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 50–60 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes; enclosed.

Racemes single; multilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.

Sexes mixed. Spikelets 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. Pedicels fused to each other; linear; tip rectangular.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets rudimentary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets laterally compressed; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear. Lower glume surface without pits. Upper glume linear.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma wingless. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 2. Stigmas 2.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; underground.

DISTRIBUTION South America.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 16th November 2012.