Blepharidachne

HABIT Perennial. Culms 3–8.375–20 cm long. Lateral branches sparse (1), or ample (3). Leaves differentiated into sheath and blade (2), or without demarcation between sheath and blade (2). Ligule a fringe of hairs (2), or absent (2). Leaf-blades persistent (3), or deciduous at the ligule (1); aciculate (1), or linear (1), or triangular (2); coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (3/3). Leaf-blade apex muticous (1), or pungent (3).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle capitate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–6.375–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent (3), or pilose (1).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (1), or exceeding apex of florets (3); thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (3), or elliptic (2); 0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline (1), or membranous (3); without keels (3), or 1-keeled (1); 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (3); muticous (2), or mucronate (2). Upper glume lanceolate (3), or elliptic (2); 0.8–1.387–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (3); without keels (3), or 1-keeled (1); 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (3); muticous (2), or mucronate (2).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3 -veined; obtuse (3/3); awned. Fertile lemma oblong (2), or ovate (2); not gibbous (3), or gibbous (1); membranous (1), or cartilaginous (3); without keel (2), or keeled (2); wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate (2), or ciliate (2). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (2), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1). Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.2–0.425–0.5 of lemma length; obtuse (1/3), or acute (2/3); awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; limb ciliate. Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal. Palea 1–1.025–1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; smooth (3), or scabrous (1); eciliate (1), or ciliolate (2), or ciliate (1). Apical sterile florets 1 in number; male (1), or barren (3); rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned. Apical sterile lemma awns ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2 (1/3), or 3 (2/3).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America (2), or South America (2).

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