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.

Andropogon hypogynus

HABIT Perennial. Culms 100–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme, or composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Panicle axis 0–5 cm long.

Racemes 6–15; digitate, or borne along a central axis; 2–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 3 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 3 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim.

Spikelets appressed, or ascending; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; 2.5 mm long; ciliate; with 3–4 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 5 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally. Lower glume surface concave. Upper glume linear; coriaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC 1995.

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