Poaceae
Olyra

Olyra humilis Nees

First published in C.F.P.von Martius, Fl. Bras. Enum. Pl. 2: 304 (1829)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Brazil to NE. Argentina. It is a herbaceous bamboo and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short, or elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25-100 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes thin-walled; distally glabrous, or hispid. Culm-nodes swollen; brown; glabrous. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.4 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long; petiole pilose. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 4.3-11.5 cm long; 10-22 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Panicle open; pyramidal; 4-9 cm long; 1-5.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; whorled at lower nodes; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous. Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled; 2 in a cluster. Pedicels (female) clavate; angular; smooth; glabrous.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 14-21 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 14-21 mm long; 1.3-1.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; inner surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 4-10 mm long. Upper glume elliptic; 11-11.5 mm long; 1.2-1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex acuminate to setaceously attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 6-9.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy above and below. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea apex pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 3.6-5.2 mm long. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 5 mm long; light brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 8.5-11 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; awned; with 2-2.5 mm long awn. Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 14-21 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
sex Male
Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 8.5-11 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; awned; with 2-2.5 mm long awn.
Distribution
South America: Brazil and southern South America.
Reference
Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • 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

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0