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.

Streptochaeta

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (2), or short (1); pachymorph (1/1). Culms erect (1/2), or scandent (1/2); 35–63.33–105 cm long; without nodal roots (1/1), or rooting from lower nodes (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (2/2), or sparse (2/2). Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect (1). Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base without a false petiole (1), or with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath (2). Leaf-blades lanceolate (2), or elliptic (1), or ovate (1). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (1), or with distinct cross veins (2).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (2), or terminal and axillary (1).

Racemes single; erect (2), or ascending (1); paucilateral; bearing 5 fertile spikelets on each (1), or 6–9 fertile spikelets on each (2), or 10–19 fertile spikelets on each (1), or 42–100 fertile spikelets on each (1). Rhachis angular.

Spikelets appressed (1/1); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (1), or pedicelled (2).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (2), or cuneate (1); subterete; 10–14.83–23 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent (1/1); base truncate (1/1).

GLUMES Glumes several; whorled; shorter than spikelet (1/1); thinner than fertile lemma (1), or similar to fertile lemma in texture (2). Lower glume oblong (2/2); membranous (1/1); without keels (1/1). Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex entire (2), or lobed (1); 2 -fid (1/1); truncate (1/1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; herbaceous (1), or coriaceous (2), or indurate (1); without keel; wingless; 7–10 -veined (1), or 11–12 -veined (2), or 13 -veined (1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex acuminate (1), or attenuate (2); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn coiled. Palea reflexed at apex; not rolled (1), or tightly convolute around flower (2); 0.6–0.675–0.75 length of lemma; coriaceous; 8–10 -veined (1/2); without keels. Palea apex divided to base.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; scarious (2), or coriaceous (1); obtuse (1), or acute. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3; plumose (2), or papillose (1).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear (2/2), or lanceolate (1/2); biconvex (2/2). Hilum linear (1/1); 0.7 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America (2), or South America.

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