Distichlis scoparia

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 10–20 cm long; wiry; 4–7 -noded. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2–3 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 1–6 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; paucilateral; 1.5–3 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–3 fertile spikelets on each.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1–5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4.5–6 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 5–9 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 7–9 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea bowed outwards; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; persistent; 6–18 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Pat 1993.

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