Poaceae
Axonopus

Axonopus rosei (Scribn. & Merr.) Chase

First published in Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 24: 132 (1911)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SW. Mexico. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 60-70 cm long; 1 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 3-15 cm long; as wide as blade at the collar. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 10-20 cm long; 1.5-2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes; with 1-2 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle 30-50 cm long. Racemes 2-3; paired, or digitate; spreading; flexuous; unilateral; 5-9 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0-1 cm long. Rhachis angular; 0.3 mm wide; dark-coloured (purple); glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; 3.5 spikelets per cm. Raceme-bases brief; pilose. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 4 mm long; 1 mm wide; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 4 mm long; 1 mm wide; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; 1.1 length of fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; 5-7 -veined; glabrous, or puberulous. Fertile lemma 3.4 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea involute; indurate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
North America: Mexico.
Reference
Paniceae. Black 1994.
[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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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 2025. 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