Soderstromia

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms 10–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious, or dioecious. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; bearing a triad of spikelets. Rhachis obsolete; deciduous from axis.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster. Male spikelets sessile; 3 in a cluster. Pedicels oblong.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume cuneate; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 2 -veined. Upper glume apex erose; truncate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; cartilaginous; without keel; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; incised 0.33 of lemma length; acute. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

MALE Male inflorescence terminal; similar to female; of racemes along a central axis. Male spikelets resembling female; lanceolate. Male spikelet glumes 1; muticous. Male spikelet lemma muticous.

DISTRIBUTION North America, or South America.

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