Poaceae
Pharus

Pharus lappulaceus Aubl.

First published in Hist. Pl. Guiane: 859 (1775)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & Subtropical America. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as a medicine and for food.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long; 3 mm diam. Culm-internodes solid. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1-1.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades inverted; elliptic; 11-22 cm long; 35-45 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation slanting obliquely from midrib; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; 11-22 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple. Panicle axis bearing deciduous branches. Panicle branches stiff; pubescent; with hooked hairs. Sexes mixed. Spikelets appressed; in pairs, or in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1-2 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; straight; subterete; 8-12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; lanceolate; 2.5-2.7 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; straight; subterete; 8-12 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 lanceolate; 4.2-5.8 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; dark brown; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5-6.5 mm long; 0.5-0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; dark brown; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 8-12 mm long; coriaceous; 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; with this appendage 1-1.5 mm long. Palea linear; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 0.9-1.1 mm long. Stigmas 3; pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong.
sex Male
Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; lanceolate; 2.5-2.7 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
Reference
Phareae. =Pharus glaber. Pohl.
[GB]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 400–1900 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Meta, Quindío, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
[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: not 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
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 400 - 1900 m.; Andes, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology Culms
Culms spreading from an erect base, up to 75 cm long
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades oblanceolate, usually 15–25 cm long, 3–5 cm broad above the middle, acuminate at the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle branches few, stiffly ascending or spreading, strigose pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Pistillate spikelets slender, ca. 1 cm long, the staminate spikelets mostly 3–5 mm long, the glumes dark brown
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit 2 to 3 times as long as the glumes, pubescent all over, readily disarticulating at maturity and clinging by the hooked hairs to passing objects or persons.
Ecology
Found in forest area
Distribution
Greater and Lesser Antilles, and from Mexico to Brazil.
[Cayman]

Uses

Use Food
Used for food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[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

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • 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/

  • 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

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

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