Schizachyrium Nees

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Morphology General Habit

Annual (23), or perennial (36). Rhizomes absent (50), or short (9), or elongated (1). Stolons absent (57), or present (1). Culms erect (26/38), or geniculately ascending (4/38), or decumbent (2/38), or prostrate (7/38), or rambling (4/38); robust (1/7), or slender (6/7); 5-64.63-300 cm long; without nodal roots (1/4), or rooting from lower nodes (4/4). Culm-internodes elliptical in section (2/2). Lateral branches lacking (1/25), or sparse (11/25), or ample (13/25). Ligule an eciliate membrane (35), or a ciliolate membrane (23). Leaf-blades filiform (5), or linear (55), or lanceolate (1); herbaceous (57), or coriaceous (1); stiff (1), or firm (57). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (2/3), or widened (1/3). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (3/3).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Synflorescence simple (14), or compound (45); scanty (29/44), or linear (5/44), or paniculate (9/44), or fastigiate (3/44), or globose (1/44). Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (4), or terminal and axillary (54); subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (6), or a spatheole (52); exserted (32), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (25), or enclosed (4). Spatheole linear (48/52), or lanceolate (6/52); membranous (1/11), or herbaceous (10/11). Peduncle widened at apex (3/3). Racemes single; bearing 3-8-14 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete (5/49), or semiterete (44/49). Spikelet packing contiguous (56), or lax (2). Rhachis internodes filiform (6), or linear (10), or oblong (6), or clavate (30), or cuneate (12). Rhachis internode tip transverse (1/1); cupuliform (14), or crateriform (44). Spikelets squeezed between internode and pedicel (19/57), or appressed (34/57), or ascending (4/57), or spreading (1/57); in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile (57), or sessile and pedicelled (1); 1 in the cluster (57), or 2 in the cluster (1). Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled (57/57); 1 in the cluster (57/57). Pedicels filiform (9), or linear (24), or columnar (1), or oblong (2), or clavate (16), or cuneate (8), or inflated (1); tip widened (3/7), or cupuliform (2/7), or lobed (2/7).

Sterile

Companion sterile spikelets absent (1), or represented by awns (2), or represented by single glumes (4), or rudimentary (24), or well-developed (28); deciduous with the fertile (55/56), or separately deciduous (1/56). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (23/53), or awned (34/53).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (15), or lanceolate (36), or elliptic (5), or oblong (3), or ovate (2); laterally compressed (17), or subterete (1), or dorsally compressed (40); 2-5.518-10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief (53), or square (1), or oblong (2), or cuneate (2); glabrous (2/54), or pubescent (27/54), or pilose (22/54), or bearded (3/54); base obtuse (57), or acute (1); attached obliquely (1/49), or inserted (48/49). Companion sterile spikelets absent (1), or represented by awns (2), or represented by single glumes (4), or rudimentary (24), or well-developed (28); deciduous with the fertile (55/56), or separately deciduous (1/56). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (23/53), or awned (34/53).

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (15), or lanceolate (36), or elliptic (5), or oblong (3), or ovate (2); laterally compressed (17), or subterete (1), or dorsally compressed (40); 2-5.518-10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief (53), or square (1), or oblong (2), or cuneate (2); glabrous (2/54), or pubescent (27/54), or pilose (22/54), or bearded (3/54); base obtuse (57), or acute (1); attached obliquely (1/49), or inserted (48/49).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear (12), or lanceolate (40), or elliptic (7), or ovate (1); chartaceous (26), or cartilaginous (5), or coriaceous (29); 2-keeled (57/57); wingless (52), or winged on keel (6); 2 -veined (1/8), or 3 -veined (2/8), or 4 -veined (1/8), or 5 -veined (3/8), or 6 -veined (1/8), or 7 -veined (3/8), or 8-9 -veined (1/8), or 11-13 -veined (1/8). Lower glume intercarinal veins absent (4/45), or obscure (15/45), or distinct (26/45). Lower glume surface convex (41), or flat (12), or concave (7), or with a longitudinal median groove (1), or deeply depressed (1); smooth (48), or asperulous (9), or scabrous (1); glabrous (47), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (5), or pilose (11), or hirsute (1), or villous (4). Lower glume apex entire (37), or dentate (21), or lobed (1); 2 -fid (22/22); emarginate (4/6), or obtuse (1/6), or acute (1/6), or acuminate (1/6); muticous (55), or mucronate (1), or awned (2). Upper glume linear (1), or lanceolate (55), or oblong (3); membranous (54), or chartaceous (4); 1-keeled; wingless (57), or winged on keel (2); 1 -veined (9/20), or 2 -veined (1/20), or 3 -veined (12/20). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (56), or ciliate (2). Upper glume surface smooth (56), or asperulous (1), or scabrous (1); glabrous (56), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (2). Upper glume apex entire (57), or dentate (1); 3 -fid (1/1); obtuse (1/23), or acute (7/23), or acuminate (15/23); muticous (53), or mucronate (3), or awned (2); 1 -awned (2/2).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear (1), or lanceolate (3), or elliptic (1), or oblong (53); hyaline (57), or membranous (1); 0 -veined (8/29), or 2 -veined (21/29); obtuse (1/2), or acute (1/2). Fertile lemma linear (4), or lanceolate (3), or elliptic (2), or oblong (48), or ovate (1); hyaline (56), or membranous (2); without keel; 0 -veined (1/38), or 1 -veined (30/38), or 2 -veined (1/38), or 3 -veined (6/38). Lemma margins eciliate (49), or ciliolate (7), or ciliate (2). Lemma apex entire (6), or dentate (3), or lobed (52); 2 -fid (54/54); incised 0.1-0.6598-0.9 of lemma length; muticous (4), or awned (57); 1 -awned (57/57). Principal lemma awn apical (3/57), or from a sinus (54/57); straight (1/57), or flexuous (1/57), or geniculate (56/57). Palea present (1), or absent or minute (57).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2 (2/2). Anthers 3 (16/16).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (18/18); linear (2/9), or lanceolate (3/9), or ellipsoid (3/9), or oblong (2/9), or ovoid (2/9). Embryo 0.33-0.4686-0.5 length of caryopsis.

Distribution

Africa (25), or Temperate Asia (4), or Tropical Asia (8), or Australasia (8), or Pacific (5), or North America (16), or South America (18).

Gramineae, T. A. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:4. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Racemes single, usually arranged in a spatheate false panicle, rarely solitary on the branches, usually not enclosed by the spatheoles; peduncles usually longer than the racemes, rarely shorter; internodes and pedicels ± clavate, glabrous or ciliate on both margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet dorsally or laterally compressed, narrowly ovoid to subterete; callus rounded; inferior glume chartaceous to subcoriaceous, with a ± deep and narrow median groove or ± flat or convex, with several intercarinal nerves, these distinct at least at the apex, awnless; superior glume usually keeled, with ± ciliate hyaline margins; inferior floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; superior floret bisexual, the lemma usually keeled, ± deeply bifid, rarely entire, awned. Pedicelled spikelet male or vestigial, usually smaller than the sessile spikelet, rarely bisexual or female, mucronate or with a terminal awn.