Saccharum brevibarbe var. contortum

(Baldwin) R.D. Webster
Synonyms: Saccharum contortum Erianthus contortus
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 612.

Upper lemmas of sessile spikelets initially entire, becoming bifid at maturity, teeth about 2 mm; awns 10-18 mm, spirally coiled basally.

Distribution

Md., Okla., Miss., Tex., La., Del., Ala., Tenn., N.C., S.C., Va., Ark., Ga., Ky., Fla.

Discussion

Saccharum brevibarbe var. contortum grows in moist, sandy pinelands and open ground of the coastal plain, from Maryland to Florida and inland to Tennessee and Oklahoma. Initially, the awns in var. contortum are not coiled and the lemmas are entire but, as the spirals develop, they tear the lemmas, creating the bifid apices.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number."-1timesaslongasthelowerlemmas" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

anatomy +  and kranz +
Robert D. Webster +
(Baldwin) R.D. Webster +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
flattened +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
divergent +  and parallel +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
pseudopetiolate +
well-developed +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
usually linear +  and lanceolate occasionally ovate +
reduced +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
spikelike +
white +  and straw-colored or brown +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
purple +  and reddish +
80 cm800 mm <br />0.8 m <br /> (250 cm2,500 mm <br />2.5 m <br />) +
not woody +
Md. +, Okla. +, Miss. +, Tex. +, La. +, Del. +, Ala. +, Tenn. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Va. +, Ark. +, Ga. +, Ky. +  and Fla. +
capillary +
sometimes longer +
concealing +
compressed +  and terete +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
villous +  and glabrous +
2-keeled +
subequal +
chartaceous +  and coriaceous +
uncinate +
bracteate +  and ebracteate +
pedunculate +  and multiple-stalked +
ascending +  and appressed +
axillary +  and subtending +
solid +  and hollow +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
photosynthetic +
not aromatic +
coriaceous +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
pilose +  and glabrous +
complex +  and simple +
concealed +  and prominent +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
pedicellate +
oblong +  and linear +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
pilose +, pubescent +  and glabrous +
45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br /> (?) +  and 75 cm750 mm <br />0.75 m <br /> (?) +
dry +  and fleshy +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (14 cm140 mm <br />0.14 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (?) +
pilose +  and glabrous +
elongate +
stoloniferous +
in triplets +  and paired +
straw-colored +  and purple +
0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br /> (1.05 cm10.5 mm <br />0.0105 m <br />) +
2 +, 1 +  and numerous +
compressed +
usually smaller +  and reduced +
1.2mm +  and 1.5mm +
1 +  and 3 +
fused +  and free +
2 +  and 3 +
dome--shaped +  and triangular +
Saccharum contortum +  and Erianthus contortus +
Saccharum brevibarbe var. contortum +
Saccharum brevibarbe +
variety +
membranous +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
sessile-pedicellate +
awned +, muticous +, bidentate +  and entire +
0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
not raised +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +
dioecious +, monoecious +  and synoecious +
hairlike +