Elionurus barbiculmis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent (below nodes). Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 16–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle hirsute above.

Racemes 1; single; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat; with simple rim.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; villous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4–6.5 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; pilose. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4.5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; pubescent; base obtuse; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled. Lower glume surface villous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

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

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gr Texas 1994.

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