Muhlenbergia subbiflora

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 30–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades 3–7 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 7–10 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 1–2 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or flexuous; 1–5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets 0–1 in number; male, or barren; lanceolate; 2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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