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.

Gymnopogon brevifolius

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms decumbent; 10–100 cm long. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate, or involute; (1–)2–5(–6.5) cm long; 2–8(–10) mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (6–)9–25(–31); borne along a central axis; ascending, or spreading, or deflexed; unilateral; (6–)10–17(–20) cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant. Raceme-bases filiform; 30–150 mm long.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5–4.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume linear; (2–)2.5–3.7(–4) mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; (2.5–)2.7–4(–4.4) mm long; 1.4–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.9(–3.7) mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 0.4–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 1–1.1 length of lemma. Rhachilla extension 1–2(–2.5) mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.6–1.9 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northeast USA and southeast USA.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Smith.

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