Blepharidachne bigelovii

Illustrator: Linda A. Vorobik, Karen Klitz

Copyright: Utah State University

Plants cespitose, from a firm, often knotty base. Culms 6-20 cm, freely branched at and above the bases. Sheaths usually with a tuft of hairs on either side of the collars, often puberulent on the backs; ligules to 0.3 mm; blades 1-2 cm long, less than 1 mm wide, involute, convolute to conduplicate, firm, harshly puberulent, stiffly arcuate, lower blades deciduous. Panicles 15-30 mm long, 10-15 mm wide, exserted or partially included in the upper 2, subopposite, subtending sheaths; rachises and branches puberulent. Spikelets 5-7 mm. Glumes nearly equal to the lowest lemmas in the spikelets, exceeded by the distal florets, thin, translucent, smooth or the vein scabridulous, subacute; lower glumes 5-6 mm; upper glumes about 6 mm; lowest florets staminate, 4-5 mm; second florets sterile, about 5 mm, lateral lobes 1-3 mm; paleas of lowest 2 florets reduced, membranous; third florets pistillate, third lemmas 5.5-6 mm, lateral lobes 3-4.5 mm, awned, central awns 2.5-3 mm; paleas of third florets slightly longer than the lemmas; anthers 2(1), 1.2-1.5 mm. Caryopses 1.5-2 mm. 2n = 14.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

N.Mex., Tex.

Discussion

Blepharidachne bieglovii grows on rocky slopes in western Texas and adjacent areas of New Mexico, and Coahuila and Zacatecas, Mexico.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.