Tridens nicorae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–40 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 6–13 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 3–14 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; 7.5–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.2–0.7 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (8–)11–12(–15) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or orbicular; laterally compressed; (9–)10–11(–15) mm long; 7–11 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1.1–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4.5–4.7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins close to margins; excurrent. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma hairs 1–2.5 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Palea bowed outwards; 0.6–0.7 length of lemma. Palea keels tuberculate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; 2.2 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.4–0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Anton.

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