Poaceae
Danthonia

Danthonia chiapasensis Davidse

First published in Novon 2: 100 (1992)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. Mexico. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 40-60 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 0.7-1.1 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5-1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 20-45 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; linear; 8-13 cm long; 1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 3-7 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 17-21 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose. Floret callus hairs 0.5-1 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 17-21 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose. Floret callus hairs 0.5-1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 17-21 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 17-21 mm long; 1.4-1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 12-14 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 8-9.5 mm long; incised 0.66 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 20-25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; shorter than principal. Palea 6 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; obovate; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 1.7-3.4 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
Distribution
North America: Mexico.
Reference
Arundineae. Davidse 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 2026. 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 2026. 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