Axonopus gracilis G.A.Black
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1957. The Botany of the Guiana Highland -- Part II. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 9 (3): 235-392.
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Family
Poaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Perennis, erectus, ad basin teres; culmi 1 m alti, fortiter compressi, nonnumquam ancipitales, pallido-flavidi, glabri, nodis ca. 10, internodiis plus minusve aequalibus vel superioribus remotioribus; vaginae 10-30 cm longae, 3-5 mm latae, carinatae, superiores longiores, nonnumquam solutae, glabrae, summo latitudinem laminae aequantes; ligula 0.3-0.4 mm longa, breve ciliata; laminae 1-30 cm longae, 1-2 mm latae (duplicatae), plerumque duplicatae, adscendentes vel erectae, rigidae, obtusae, basi pilosae ciliataeque pilis ad 2 mm longis, superiores glabrescentes; inflorescentiae terminales, pedunculis crassis, ad 65 cm longis; panicula 10-15 cm longa, axi 2-4 cm longo; racemi 3-4, adscendentes, 4—12 cm longi, in axillis molliter, breviter pilosi pilis brevibus et pilis paucis longis; rachis 0.3-0.4 mm lata, flexuosa, atropurpurea vel viridescens marginibus scabrida, in 25 mm 8.5-11 spiculis praedita; spiculae 2.6-2.7 mm longae, 0.7 mm latae, pallidae, elliptico-ovatae, obtusae vel minute apiculatae; gluma lemma sterile aequans, 4-nervis, nervo mediano plerumque suppresso; pedicellus brevissimus; flosculus spiculae longitudinem aequans, pallido-brunneo-nitens, glaber, 1-2 pilis microscopicis apice praeditus.
Species Description - Erect perennial, leafy throughout, the base terete; culm 1 m high, strongly flattened, 2.5-3.0 mm wide, the edges often blade-like, glabrous, pale yellow; nodes 10 or more, glabrous, the lower ones 2-3 cm apart, the upper ones more remote; sheaths 10-30 cm long, 3-5 mm wide, the upper ones longest, equaling the width of the blade or with a slight constriction at the junction with the blade, glabrous, keeled, often rose-tinted toward the summit, the margins frequently hyaline, the outer ones finally breaking up into a fibrous mass; ligule 0.3-0.4 mm long, the hairs about 0.2 mm long; blades 1-30 cm long, 1-2 mm wide (folded), mostly folded, stiff, ascending to erect, attenuate, the apex rounded, the base hairy, ciliate, the hairs up to 2 mm long; penduncles 1-2, barely exserted or longexserted, 65 cm long, as much as 1 mm broad, sometimes compressed; panicles 10-15 cm long, the axis 2-4 cm long; racemes 3-4, ascending, 4-12 cm long, the axils with short dense hairs and a few long hairs intermixed; rachis 0.3-0.4 mm wide, dark purple or green, scabrous on the margins; spikelets 8.5-11 per 25 mm, 2.6-2.7 mm long, 0.7 mm wide, pale green, elliptic-ovate, obtuse or minutely apiculate, the pedicels 0-0.2 mm long; glume and sterile lemma equal, 4-nerved, the midnerve usually suppressed (rarely prominent), when 4, the outer nerves approximate, glabrous; fertile floret equaling the spikelet in length, pale brown, shiny, glabrous or with 1-2 minute hairs at the apex.
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Discussion
TYPE: infrequent, southeast ridge and savanna slopes, alt. 1700 m, Cerro Sipapo (Paraque), Terr. Amazonas, Venezuela, December 20, 1948, Bassett Maguire & Louis Politi 27818; New York Botanical Garden.