Poaceae
Olyra

Olyra filiformis Trin.

First published in Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math., Seconde Pt. Sci. Nat. 3(2): 115 (1834)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Brazil (Bahia). It is a herbaceous bamboo and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms scandent; 40-125 cm long; woody; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes thin-walled; distally glabrous, or pilose. Culm-nodes pubescent, or bearded. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-1.8 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long; petiole pilose. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 11-14 cm long; 12-28 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation parallel. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, or scabrous; rough on both sides; hispid; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Panicle contracted; linear; 5-10 cm long; 0.7-2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in a cluster. Pedicels (female) clavate; angular; pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 17-24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 4.3-5.7 mm long; glabrous, or hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 17-24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 17-24 mm long; 1.2-1.3 length of upper glume; herbaceous; pallid; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface asperulous; inner surface pilose (at apex). Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 6 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 13-20 mm long; 1.9-2.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; pallid; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface asperulous; inner surface pilose (at apex). Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 6 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6.8-8.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pitted; glabrous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate; without keels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 1.8-2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 4.8-5.5 mm long; light brown. Disseminule comprising a floret.
sex Male
Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; lanceolate; 4.3-5.7 mm long; glabrous, or hairy. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined; muticous.
Distribution
South America: Brazil.
Reference
Olyreae. Sod & Zuol.
Diagnostic
Lemma pits deep.
[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 2025. 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 2025. 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