Poaceae

Hyparrhenia Andersson ex E.Fourn.

First published in Mexic. Pl. 2: 51, 67 (1886)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropics & Subtropics.

Descriptions

nonem

Morphology General Habit
Annual (16), or perennial (40). Rhizomes absent (42), or short (12), or elongated (2). Culms erect (49/55), or geniculately ascending (7/55), or decumbent (6/55), or rambling (2/55); robust (15/25), or slender (10/25); 5-144.2-400 cm long; firm (51), or wiry (5); without nodal roots (5/13), or with prop roots (13/13). Lateral branches fastigiate (1/1). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (52), or erect (6). Ligule an eciliate membrane (54), or a ciliolate membrane (2). Leaf-blade base without a false petiole (55), or with a false petiole (3). Leaf-blades filiform (2), or linear, or lanceolate (1); stiff (12), or firm (43), or flaccid (3). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (1/1).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Synflorescence simple (1), or compound (55); scanty (11/55), or linear (2/55), or paniculate (40/55), or fastigiate (1/55), or fasciculate (2/55), or globose (1/55). Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (1), or terminal and axillary (55); subtended by a spatheole; exserted (22), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (21), or enclosed (22). Spatheole linear (26), or lanceolate (37), or ovate (2); membranous (48), or chartaceous (1), or herbaceous (1), or scarious (7). Racemes paired; side by side, or end to end (1); appressed (2), or erect (18), or ascending (2), or spreading (3), or deflexed (34); unilateral (1/1); bearing few fertile spikelets (49), or many spikelets (9); bearing 1-3-13 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes. Spikelet packing contiguous (55), or lax (1). Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Raceme-bases filiform (22), or linear (4), or flattened (33); subequal (29), or unequal (the longer measured) (28); unappendaged (40), or scariously rimmed (6), or shortly lobed (6), or extended into an oblong appendage (9). Spikelets appressed (55/55); in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; tip oblique.
Sterile
Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; not involucral (50), or forming an involucre about the fertile (6). Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus indistinct (52), or square (4), or oblong (1). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (30/55), or mucronate (15/55), or awned (34/55).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (10), or lanceolate (43), or elliptic (2), or oblong (13), or ovate (1), or oblanceolate (1); dorsally compressed; 3.32-6.342-20 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief (2), or square (4), or oblong (7), or cuneate (35), or linear (15); pubescent (53), or pilose (3); base truncate (1), or obtuse (16), or acute (23), or pungent (21); attached obliquely. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; not involucral (50), or forming an involucre about the fertile (6). Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus indistinct (52), or square (4), or oblong (1). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (30/55), or mucronate (15/55), or awned (34/55).
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (10), or lanceolate (43), or elliptic (2), or oblong (13), or ovate (1), or oblanceolate (1); dorsally compressed; 3.32-6.342-20 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief (2), or square (4), or oblong (7), or cuneate (35), or linear (15); pubescent (53), or pilose (3); base truncate (1), or obtuse (16), or acute (23), or pungent (21); attached obliquely.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous (1), or coriaceous; without keels; 5 -veined (1/7), or 9 -veined (5/7), or 10 -veined (1/7), or 11 -veined (2/7). Lower glume lateral veins without ribs (53), or ribbed (5). Lower glume surface convex (51), or flat (3), or concave (6), or grooved on either side of midvein (2); smooth (54), or asperulous (1), or scabrous (1), or spinose (1); glabrous (29), or puberulous (6), or pubescent (23), or pilose (10), or hirsute (6), or villous (19), or hispidulous (8). Lower glume apex entire (5), or dentate (51); 2 -fid (51/51); truncate (1/1). Upper glume linear (55), or lanceolate (1); 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous (1), or coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined (2/2). Upper glume surface glabrous (54), or pubescent (1), or hirsute (1). Upper glume apex entire (55), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); acute (2/2); muticous (54), or mucronate (2).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of fertile lemma; hyaline; 0 -veined (1/54), or 2 -veined (53/54); truncate (1/1). Fertile lemma linear (55), or ovate (1); membranous; without keel; 1 -veined (54/54). Lemma margins eciliate (54), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (1). Lemma apex entire (2), or dentate (54); 2 -fid (54/54); emarginate (1/2), or truncate (1/2); mucronate (2), or awned (55); 1 -awned (55/55). Principal lemma awn apical (1), or from a sinus (55); straight (1), or geniculate (55); limb glabrous (55), or puberulous (1). Column of lemma awn glabrous (1/55), or hispidulous (1/55), or puberulous (16/55), or pubescent (34/55), or ciliate (1/55), or hirtellous (9/55), or hirsute (3/55). Palea present (2), or absent or minute (54).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2 (53/53); fleshy (53/53). Anthers 3 (54/54). Stigmas 2 (54/54).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (1/1); ellipsoid (1/2), or oblong (1/2); dorsally compressed (1/1).
Distribution
Europe (1), or Africa (55), or Temperate Asia (12), or Tropical Asia (11), or Australasia (3), or Pacific (3), or North America (5), or South America (3).
[GB]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips And S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit
Tall annuals or perennials
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades linear, never aromatic; ligule scarious
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of paired racemes, each pair supported on a peduncle and subtended by a sheathing spatheole, the latter crowded into a large leafy false panicle; racemes short, slender, each raceme borne upon a short stalk (raceme-base) which is often deflexed at maturity, and with up to 2 of the lowermost spikelet pairs (homogamous pairs) ♂ or barren, awnless and tardily deciduous; internodes and pedicels linear
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Sessile spikelet narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, dorsally compressed or terete; callus obtuse to pungent, applied obliquely to the top of the internode with its tip free; lower glume coriaceous, broadly convex across the back and sides, without keels or these developed only in the uppermost third; upper glume awnless; lower floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; upper lemma stipitiform, bidentate, passing between the teeth into a stout awn with pubescent or hirtellous column Pedicelled spikelet ♂ or barren, narrowly lanceolate, usually a little longer than the sessile, awnless or aristulate from the lower glume.
Sessile
Sessile spikelet narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, dorsally compressed or terete; callus obtuse to pungent, applied obliquely to the top of the internode with its tip free; lower glume coriaceous, broadly convex across the back and sides, without keels or these developed only in the uppermost third; upper glume awnless; lower floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; upper lemma stipitiform, bidentate, passing between the teeth into a stout awn with pubescent or hirtellous column
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis oblong, subterete
Pedicelled
Pedicelled spikelet ♂ or barren, narrowly lanceolate, usually a little longer than the sessile, awnless or aristulate from the lower glume.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial; leaves never aromatic; ligule scarious
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of paired racemes, each pair supported on a peduncle and subtended by a sheathing spatheole, the latter crowded into a large leafy false panicle; racemes short, slender, each borne upon a short stalk (raceme-base) which is often deflexed at maturity, and with up to 2 of the lowermost spikelet-pairs (homogamous pairs) male or barren, awnless and tardily deciduous; internodes and pedicels linear
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Pedicelled spikelet male or barren, narrowly lanceolate, usually a little longer than the sessile, awnless or aristulate from the lower glume. Sessile spikelet narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, dorsally compressed or terete; callus obtuse to pungent, applied obliquely to the top of the internode with its tip free; lower glume coriaceous, broadly convex across the back and sides, without keels or these developed only in the upper 1/3; upper glume awnless; lower floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; upper lemma stipitiform, 2-toothed, passing between the teeth into a stout awn; caryopsis oblong, subterete
Distribution
56 species, mainly in Africa.
[FSOM]

Gramineae, T. A. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:4. 2002

Morphology General Habit
Tall annuals or perennials.
Morphology Leaves Ligules
Ligule scarious; leaf laminas linear, never aromatic.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of paired racemes, each pair supported on a peduncle and subtended by a sheathing spatheole, the latter crowded together in a large leafy false panicle; racemes short, slender, each borne upon a short stalk (raceme-base) which is often deflexed at maturity, and with up to 2 of the lowermost spikelet pairs (homogamous pairs) male or barren, awnless and tardily deciduous; internodes and pedicels linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Sessile spikelet narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, dorsally compressed or terete; callus obtuse to pungent, applied obliquely to the apex of the internode with its tip free; inferior glume coriaceous, broadly convex across the back and sides, without keels or these developed only in the uppermost third; superior glume awnless; inferior floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; superior lemma stipitiform, bidentate, passing between the teeth into a stout awn with pubescent or hirtellous column. Pedicelled spikelet male or barren, narrowly lanceolate, usually a little longer than the sessile spikelet, awnless or aristulate from the inferior glume.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis oblong, subterete.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

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

  • Flora of Somalia

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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

  • 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