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.

Blepharidachne

HABIT Perennial. Culms 3–8.375–20 cm long. Lateral branches sparse (1), or ample (3). Leaves differentiated into sheath and blade (2), or without demarcation between sheath and blade (2). Ligule a fringe of hairs (2), or absent (2). Leaf-blades persistent (3), or deciduous at the ligule (1); aciculate (1), or linear (1), or triangular (2); coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (3/3). Leaf-blade apex muticous (1), or pungent (3).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle capitate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–6.375–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent (3), or pilose (1).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (1), or exceeding apex of florets (3); thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (3), or elliptic (2); 0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline (1), or membranous (3); without keels (3), or 1-keeled (1); 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (3); muticous (2), or mucronate (2). Upper glume lanceolate (3), or elliptic (2); 0.8–1.387–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (3); without keels (3), or 1-keeled (1); 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (3); muticous (2), or mucronate (2).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3 -veined; obtuse (3/3); awned. Fertile lemma oblong (2), or ovate (2); not gibbous (3), or gibbous (1); membranous (1), or cartilaginous (3); without keel (2), or keeled (2); wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate (2), or ciliate (2). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (2), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1). Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.2–0.425–0.5 of lemma length; obtuse (1/3), or acute (2/3); awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; limb ciliate. Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal. Palea 1–1.025–1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; smooth (3), or scabrous (1); eciliate (1), or ciliolate (2), or ciliate (1). Apical sterile florets 1 in number; male (1), or barren (3); rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned. Apical sterile lemma awns ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2 (1/3), or 3 (2/3).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America (2), or South America (2).

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