Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf & C.E.Hubb.

Gramineae, T. A. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:4. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennial; culms up to 250 cm long and 2–4 mm in diameter, prostrate and rooting at the nodes below.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf laminas 5–15 cm × 3–4 mm, flat.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 4–10 cm long, mostly borne singly in the axils and exserted from the axillary sheath.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet elliptic-oblong, with a triangular callus; inferior glume 4–6 mm long, with or without a constriction near the apex, obtuse to emarginate at the apex; superior glume obtuse to acute at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm long, truncate at the base and without a callus, subacute to acute at the apex. Sessile spikelet elliptic-oblong, with a triangular callus; inferior glume 4–6 mm long, with or without a constriction near the apex, obtuse to emarginate at the apex; superior glume obtuse to acute at the apex.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm long, truncate at the base and without a callus, subacute to acute at the apex.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennial; culms up to 2.5 m. long and 2–4 mm. in diameter, prostrate and rooting at the nodes below.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat, 5–15 cm. long, 3–4 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 4–10 cm. long, mostly borne singly in the axils and exserted from the axillary sheath.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet elliptic-oblong with a triangular callus; lower glume 4–6 mm. long, with or without a constriction near the apex, obtuse to emarginate; upper glume obtuse to acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm. long, truncate at the base without a callus, subacute to acute at the tip. Sessile spikelet elliptic-oblong with a triangular callus; lower glume 4–6 mm. long, with or without a constriction near the apex, obtuse to emarginate; upper glume obtuse to acute.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm. long, truncate at the base without a callus, subacute to acute at the tip.

Habitat

Shallow water and muddy places bordering streams and lakes: 300–1600 m.

Distribution

Italy and Turkey, southwards to Nigeria and EthiopiaZambia southwards to the Capealso in Madagascar, with isolated records in Burma, Thailand and Borneointroduced to America T4 T6 T7 T8

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.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

No Evaluada

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164067/140433760

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Distribution

Naturalised in Colombia.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial. Stolons present. Culms prostrate; 100-250 cm long (long); 2-4 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5-15 cm long; 3-4 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes; exserted. Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 4-10 cm long. Rhachis fracturing into irregular segments; flattened; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate. Rhachis internode tip transverse; flat. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to internode; united wholly; oblong; flattened; tip rectangular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4-6 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet callus truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; acute. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes. Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; glabrous; base truncate; attached obliquely.

Sterile

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4-6 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet callus truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; acute. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; glabrous; base truncate; attached obliquely.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged narrowly. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface not waisted, or transversely waisted (near apex). Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume oblong; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse to cuspidate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; dorsally compressed.

Distribution

Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, and China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. Pacific: north-central. North America: south-central USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

Reference

Andropogoneae. FTEA.