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.

Chondrosum eriopodum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Stolons absent, or present. Culms decumbent; 20–60 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 5–10 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; ascending; unilateral; 2–5 cm long; bearing 8–18 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 10–15 cm long; tip without extension, or subulate. Rhachis semiterete; scabrous on surface; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Raceme-bases brief; pilose (woolly).

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 6–9 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; with outer lobes shorter; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5–3 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0.3–0.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension pilose; hairy at tip. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4–8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2.5–3 mm long. Embryo 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gould.

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