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.

Steinchisma stenophyllum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–120 cm long. Culm-internodes 10–15 cm long; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths 5–11 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–0.7 mm long; lacerate. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades involute; 9–16(–30) cm long; 0.2–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal, or terminal and axillary. Axillary inflorescences similar to terminal. Peduncle 10–25 cm long; glabrous.

Panicle open; elliptic; 2–15 cm long; 2–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 1 -nate. Panicle axis angular; scaberulous. Panicle branches angular; scaberulous; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.4–3.2 mm long; 0.5–0.8 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 2.2–3 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic, or ovate; 2.2–3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 3–5 -veined. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on flanks at maturity; 2.2–2.8 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2–2.8 mm long; 0.6 mm wide; coriaceous; yellow; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1.3 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Zul. & Mor. 2001.

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