Melica riograndensis


Melica riograndensis is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that is endemic to Brazil.

Description

The species is perennial and with short rhizomes and long erect culms. The leaf-sheaths are tubular, have one closed end, and are glabrous on surface. The leaf-blades are long by wide with its surface being rough and scaberulous. The membrane is eciliated and is long with the panicle being open, linear and long. The main panicle branches are indistinct and almost racemose.
Spikelets are oblong, solitary, and have fertile spikelets that have filiformed pedicels. Both the upper and lower glumes are keelless, membranous, with obtuse apexes. Their other features are different though; Lower glume is obovate and is long while their upper one is lanceolate and is long.
Its lemma have prominent lateral veins with papillose surface and acute apex. Fertile lemma is chartaceous, keelless lanceolate, and is long by wide. Its palea have dentated apex and papillose surface. The species also carry 2–3 sterile florets which are barren, cuneate, clumped and are long. Flowers are fleshy, oblong, truncate, and carry 3 anthers that are long. The species' fruits have caryopsis with additional pericarp.