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.

Ekmanochloa subaphylla

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Culm-nodes constricted. Leaves cauline; differentiated into sheath and blade, or with blades commonly suppressed, transferring photosynthetic function to sheath and culm. Ligule absent. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 0.2–3.5 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; erect; unilateral; 3–4 cm long (male half as long). Rhachis angular.

Sexes segregated; on unisexual branches; with male conjugate. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels cuneate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; 10–15 mm long overall. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; persistent; lanceolate; 2 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Olyreae. WDC.

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