Poaceae
Pappophorum

Pappophorum mucronulatum Nees

First published in C.F.P.von Martius, Fl. Bras. Enum. Pl. 2: 412 (1829)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Arizona to Texas and Honduras, Venezuela to N. Argentina, NE. Brazil. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms 25-60(-90) cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10-30 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Panicle contracted; linear; 12-28 cm long; 1-1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 2-3.5 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1-2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3.5-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1-2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3.5-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3-4.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5-5 mm long; 1.6-2.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5-3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex awned; 12-15 -awned. Principal lemma awn 4-7 mm long overall; 1.5-2 length of lemma. Lateral lemma awns of irregular length. Apical sterile florets 1-2 in number; barren; in a clump; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 12-15 -awned.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis 2-2.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
Reference
Pappophoreae. Gr Bahia 1993.
[GB]

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. 0 - 500 m.; Llanura del Caribe.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–500 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: La Guajira.
Habit
Herb.
[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]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30-80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10-20 cm long; 1.5-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; 12-25 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1(-2) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6-8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus pilose.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1(-2) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6-8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3-4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or acute; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 3-4 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate, or acute; mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 2-3 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 11-15 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex awned; 11-15 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2.5-5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns of irregular length. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets distinct from fertile; 2 in number; barren; in a clump; oblong. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 11-15 -awned.
Distribution
North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.
Reference
Pappophoreae. Gr Texas 20-1.
[GB]

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

  • 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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

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