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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Munroa andina

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 5–10 cm long. Culm-internodes alternately elongated and bunched. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 3 fertile spikelets; terminal and axillary (in a leafy fascicle); shorter than basal leaves; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath (2 sheaths); embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile; heteromorphic (uppermost lacking lower glume).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma cuneate; 3.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface granulose; with tufts of hair on midvein; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 4 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 2.5–3 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising between lobes; 2–2.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; laterally compressed; smooth. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis; projecting below grain. Endosperm flinty (translucent).

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Parodi.

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