Glyceria arkansana

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 100–150 cm long; 10 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 10 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 10–18 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 40–70 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 10–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Meliceae. Fernald 1997.

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