Mesosetum chaseae

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Stolons present. Culms erect; 25–65 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 3–20 cm long; 2–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 3–9 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 1–1.5 mm wide; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels fused to internode; oblong; 1 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex emarginate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume margins scabrous; ciliate. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; thicker on margins; 7 -veined; eciliate on margins, or ciliate on margins; laterally pinched at apex. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; purple.

FRUIT Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Filgueiras.

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