Merostachys maguireorum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1000–1200 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; flabellate; with subequal branches. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; papillose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; 1–2 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; brown; scaberulous on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate. Leaf-blade midrib scarcely raised beneath. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 2–4 cm long; glabrous.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 4–8 cm long. Rhachis angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 15–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 13–14 mm long; chartaceous; keeled. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Palea surface papillose. Palea apex ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. McClure 2001.

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