GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Pappophorum krapovickasii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–120 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–30 cm long; 1.5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous to pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 20–40 cm long; 1.5–3 cm wide. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets absent, or barren.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; 1–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–1 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 4–7 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; inner surface pubescent. Lemma apex awned; 19–26 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6–9 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns of irregular length. Palea 2–2.3 mm long. Apical sterile florets 3–4 in number; barren; in a clump; elliptic. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 19–26 -awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; sulcate on hilar side; 1.4–2 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Pappophoreae. Penseiro 1997.

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