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.

Dielsiochloa floribunda

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 6–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 3–8 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; shorter than basal leaves; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 3–5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; tip pyriform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes zig-zag; 1.3–1.8 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.5–9.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–11 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66 way up back of lemma; straight; 6–10 mm long overall. Palea gaping; linear; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface papillose. Palea apex acuminate. Apical sterile florets 4–7 in number; barren; linear; 5–8 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 5–8 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 2–3; 0.75 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; glabrous. Embryo 0.15 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Aveneae. WDC.

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