Muhlenbergia palmeri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 60–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; subdividing 2–3 times. Panicle axis angular; scabrous. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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