Poaceae
Zea

Zea diploperennis Iltis, Doebley & R.Guzmán

First published in Science 203: 186 (1979)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico (SW. Jalisco). It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used for food.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short (internodes 0.2-0.6cm); scaly. Culms erect; robust; 100-250 cm long; 10-20 mm diam. Culm-internodes solid. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-2 mm long. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 40-80 cm long; 40-50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in different inflorescences. Inflorescence composed of racemes; axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole elliptic; herbaceous. Racemes 1; single; bilateral; bearing 5-10 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subcylindrical and excavated. Rhachis internodes inflated; 6-8.2 mm long. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Spikelets sunken; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Male spikelets sessile, or sessile and pedicelled; 2 in a cluster. Pedicels (male) 1.5-3 mm long. Male inflorescence terminal; unlike female; of subdigitate racemes, or of racemes along a central axis. Male spikelets distinct from female; with free pedicels; 2 flowered; elliptic; 8.5-11.5 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2; winged; muticous. Male spikelet lemma muticous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; indurate; without keels. Upper glume elliptic; membranous; without keels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret membranous. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; hyaline; without keel.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted; papillose. Styles connate below.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
sex Male
Male inflorescence terminal; unlike female; of subdigitate racemes, or of racemes along a central axis. Male spikelets distinct from female; with free pedicels; 2 flowered; elliptic; 8.5-11.5 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2; winged; muticous. Male spikelet lemma muticous.
Distribution
North America: Mexico.
Reference
Andropogoneae. Iltis 1993.
Diagnostic
Female internodes trapezoidal; male lower glume flat.
[GB]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 2000–3000 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca.
Habit
Herb.
Conservation
IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)c(iii,iv)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)c(iii,iv).
[UPFC]

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]

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
Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 2000 - 3000 m.; Andes.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
[CPLC]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/77726057/77726102

Conservation
EN - endangered
[IUCN]

Uses

Use Gene Sources
Used as gene sources.
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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • 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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

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