Poaceae
Uniola

Uniola paniculata L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 71 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. U.S.A. to Central America, Caribbean. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 120-200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5-3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 60-90 cm long; 5-10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade apex filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; paucilateral; 3-15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20-50 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; irregular. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-6 basal sterile florets; 12-20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 15-35 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-6 basal sterile florets; 12-20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 15-35 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; ovate; 7-11 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3-9 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 7-11 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3-9 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 3-5 mm long.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia. North America: south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gould.
[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: not 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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • 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