Rhipidocladum McClure

nonem

Morphology General Habit

Perennial. Rhizomes absent (1), or short (17); pachymorph (17/17). Culms erect (2/14), or geniculately ascending (2/14), or rambling (1/14), or arching (9/14), or leaning (3/14), or scandent (2/14); 200-997-3000 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes alternately elongated and bunched (1/1); terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many (15/15); in a clump (3/17), or flabellate (14/17); at the node (15), or subtended by a bare patch above the node (3); with subequal branches (8/8); thinner than stem (5/5). Culm-sheaths persistent (1/4), or deciduous (3/4); auriculate (1/1). Culm-sheath blade linear (1/7), or lanceolate (1/7), or ovate (1/7), or triangular (4/7); as wide as sheath at base (1/1). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (12), or erect (6). Ligule an eciliate membrane (9), or a ciliolate membrane (6), or absent (3). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades persistent (13), or deciduous at the ligule (5); linear (9), or lanceolate (10), or ovate (1). Leaf-blade midrib indistinct (4/4). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins, or with obscure cross veins (1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle (1), or composed of racemes (17); terminal (16), or terminal and axillary (2). Racemes single (17/17); unilateral (11/15), or bilateral (2/15), or paucilateral (2/15); bearing few fertile spikelets (4/17), or many spikelets (13/17); bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each (3/13), or 3-6 fertile spikelets on each (4/13), or 7-10 fertile spikelets on each (5/13), or 11-18 fertile spikelets on each (2/13), or 19-21 fertile spikelets on each (1/13), or 22-25 fertile spikelets on each (2/13). Rhachis flattened (1/2), or semiterete (1/2). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis (1/1); crowded (1/17), or contiguous (12/17), or lax (1/17), or distant (3/17); 2 -rowed (3/3). Spikelets appressed (2/3), or spreading (1/3); solitary (17), or in pairs (1). Fertile spikelets sessile (15), or pedicelled (3).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 0 basal sterile florets (2/16), or 1 basal sterile florets (15/16), or 2 basal sterile florets (2/16); 1 fertile florets (1), or 2-3 fertile florets (11), or 4 fertile florets (6), or 5 fertile florets (4), or 6 fertile florets (3), or 7-12 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear (5), or lanceolate (3), or oblong (3), or oblanceolate (9); laterally compressed (15), or subterete (3); 8-24.44-120 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret (10), or elongated between glumes (1), or elongated below basal sterile floret (1), or elongated below proximal fertile floret (6); glabrous (16), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1). Floret callus glabrous (1/1).

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 0 basal sterile florets (2/16), or 1 basal sterile florets (15/16), or 2 basal sterile florets (2/16); 1 fertile florets (1), or 2-3 fertile florets (11), or 4 fertile florets (6), or 5 fertile florets (4), or 6 fertile florets (3), or 7-12 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear (5), or lanceolate (3), or oblong (3), or oblanceolate (9); laterally compressed (15), or subterete (3); 8-24.44-120 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret (10), or elongated between glumes (1), or elongated below basal sterile floret (1), or elongated below proximal fertile floret (6); glabrous (16), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1). Floret callus glabrous (1/1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes one the lower absent or obscure (1), or two (17), or several (2); persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma (15), or similar to fertile lemma in texture (3). Lower glume subulate (6), or linear (4), or lanceolate (5), or elliptic (1), or oblong (1), or ovate (2); 0.2-0.49-0.7 length of upper glume; chartaceous (4/4); without keels (2/2), or 1-keeled (1/2); 1 -veined (6/10), or 2 -veined (1/10), or 3 -veined (4/10), or 4 -veined (2/10), or 5 -veined (1/10). Lower glume lateral veins absent (6), or distinct (12), or prominent (1). Lower glume surface smooth (17), or scabrous (1); glabrous (17), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (2). Lower glume apex obtuse (1/10), or acute (9/10), or acuminate (2/10); muticous (7/12), or mucronate (1/12), or awned (4/12). Upper glume linear (1), or lanceolate (8), or oblong (1), or ovate (10); 0.15-0.5312-0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous (15/15); without keels (15/17), or 1-keeled (2/17); 3 -veined (1/12), or 5 -veined (8/12), or 6 -veined (3/12), or 7 -veined (6/12). Upper glume surface smooth (17), or scabrous (1); glabrous (17), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (2). Upper glume apex obtuse (2/16), or acute (6/16), or acuminate (7/16), or setaceously attenuate (2/16); muticous (8), or mucronate (1), or awned (9); 1 -awned (9/9).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren (16/16); with palea (2/16), or without significant palea (16/16). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (4/12), or ovate (8/12); 0.6-0.85-1 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous (11/11); 4 -veined (1/8), or 5 -veined (4/8), or 6 -veined (2/8), or 7 -veined (5/8), or 8 -veined (2/8), or 9 -veined (3/8), or 10-11 -veined (1/8); obtuse (1/11), or acute (5/11), or acuminate (6/11); muticous (5/12), or mucronate (2/12), or awned (8/12). Fertile lemma lanceolate (7), or ovate (11); chartaceous (3), or coriaceous (15); without keel; 5-9-19 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate (17), or ciliolate (1). Lemma surface smooth (14), or scaberulous (3), or scabrous (1); glabrous (16), or pubescent (1), or hispidulous (1). Lemma margins eciliate (12), or ciliolate (4), or ciliate (3). Lemma apex acute (12/17), or acuminate (4/17), or attenuate (1/17); without ornament (17), or pubescent (1); muticous (5), or mucronate (1), or awned (12); 1 -awned (12/12). Palea 0.5-0.9545-1 length of lemma; 4 -veined (4/6), or 5 -veined (2/6), or 6 -veined (3/6), or 7-8 -veined (1/6), or 10-12 -veined (1/6). Palea keels wingless (17), or winged (1); smooth (17), or scabrous (1); eciliate (6), or ciliolate (12). Palea surface glabrous (15), or puberulous (4). Palea apex dentate (1/1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2 (1), or 3 (17); membranous (14/14); glabrous (12), or ciliate (6); obtuse (1/1). Anthers 3. Stigmas 2 (17/17). Ovary unappendaged (15), or umbonate (3); glabrous (3/3).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (13/13). Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear (1/1); 1 length of caryopsis.

Distribution

North America (4), or South America (17).