Poaceae
Bouteloua

Bouteloua aristidoides (Kunth) Griseb.

First published in Fl. Brit. W. I.: 537 (1864)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SW. & S. Central U.S.A. to Mexico, Colombia to N. Argentina. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as animal food, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 6-50 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2-7 cm long; 1-2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-15; borne along a central axis; spreading, or deflexed; unilateral; 1.5-3.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2-4 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 2.5-10 cm long; tip subulate. Rhachis deciduous from axis; flattened; pubescent on surface; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like; extension 5-10 mm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Raceme-bases linear; 1 mm long; shed with the raceme; acute, or pungent. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Sterile
Basal sterile spikelets rudimentary; 1 in number.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6-8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Basal sterile spikelets rudimentary; 1 in number.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6-8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5-2 mm long; 0.3-0.4 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5-6 mm long; 0.7-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6-8 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; mucronate; 3 -awned (mucros). Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Rhachilla extension glabrous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns equal; 2-6 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5-3 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.75 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: Caribbean, western South America, and southern South America.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Gould.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 500 m.; Llanura del Caribe.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–500 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: La Guajira.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland.
[UPFC]

Uses

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0