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.

Mesosetum ferrugineum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths villous. Culms erect; slender; 15–75 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; (4–)6–12(–28) cm long; (1–)3–5(–7) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins unthickened, or cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 3–13 cm long. Rhachis angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1 mm long; glabrous, or ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.8–7 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.8–4.8 mm long; 0.7–1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliate, or tuberculately ciliate. Lower glume hairs red; 2–3 mm long. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–7 mm long; 0.7–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume hairs red; 2 mm long. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; with veins transversely connected at apex; scabrous; rough above; ciliate on margins; bearing red hairs; bearing hairs 3 mm long; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis 3–3.5 mm long. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Filgueiras.

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