Neostapfia colusana

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 10–30 cm long. Leaves without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths glandular; viscid. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades 2–8 cm long; 5–12 mm wide; viscid; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; with capitate hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; multilateral; 2–8 cm long. Rhachis subterete; with scattered hairs; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets rudimentary; 5–20 in number.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; subterete; 4–6 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Fertile lemma flabellate; 5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7–11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex erose; truncate; muticous. Palea 0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.2 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2; sparsely hairy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 1 length of caryopsis (obscured by viscid pericarp).

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA.

NOTES Orcuttieae. Reeder.

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