Poaceae
Pharus

Pharus ecuadoricus Judz.

First published in Nordic J. Bot. 11: 89 (1991)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Ecuador. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms 80-100 cm long; 4-6 mm diam. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves 5-8 per branch. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.7-1.3 mm long. Leaf-blade base cuneate; with a false petiole; petiole 1.2-1.3 cm long. Leaf-blades inverted; oblong; 25-38 cm long; 50-75 mm wide; dark green and light green; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade venation slanting obliquely from midrib; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle; without bracts, or bracteate at pedicel base (bract 0.5-5mm). Peduncle 13-25 cm long. Panicle open; ovate; 25-50 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 4-6 in number; spreading; simple. Panicle axis bearing deciduous branches. Panicle branches stiff; pubescent. Sexes mixed. Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform; 6-10 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; straight; subterete; 11.5-13.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 6-7.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; light brown; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 6.5-8 mm long; 0.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; light brown; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 11.5-13.5 mm long; 2-3 mm wide; coriaceous; light brown; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along; with hooked hairs. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex acute; with a conical beak. Palea linear; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 1.2-2.1 mm long. Stigmas 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; isodiametric; stipitate; 9-10 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; ovate; 3.2-4.3 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2; 2.3-4.1 mm long; membranous; 2-5 -veined; muticous. Male spikelet lemma 3.2-4.3 mm long; 3 -veined; with cross-veins; muticous. Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; straight; subterete; 11.5-13.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
sex Male
Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; ovate; 3.2-4.3 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2; 2.3-4.1 mm long; membranous; 2-5 -veined; muticous. Male spikelet lemma 3.2-4.3 mm long; 3 -veined; with cross-veins; muticous.
Distribution
South America: western South America.
Reference
Phareae. Jud. 2001.
[GB]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/45969/11027201

Conservation
EN - endangered
[IUCN]

Sources

  • 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0