Piptochaetium sagasteguii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–60 cm long; 3 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation with 5–6 secondary veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 10–18 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis with lower internodes 3–5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–9.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.8–2 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 5.5–9.5 mm long; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; laterally compressed; 3–6 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex truncate; surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn eccentric; bigeniculate; 15–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn pubescent. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 2–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Sanchez 1995.

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