地毯草屬

Axonopus affinis leaf cs section

Perennials, rarely annuals; culms tufted, stoloniferous or not. Leaf blade flat or conduplicate, rather wide; sheaths often strongly keeled-compressed and equitant. Inflorescence composed of 2-numerouse sessile, slender spike-like racemes; digitately-racemosely arranged. Spikelets solitary, alternate, dorsally sessile along abaxial keel or rachis, dorsally compressed, oblong, muticuous, 2-flowered, falling off as a whole; lower glume absent; upper glume and lower lemma as long as spikelet, thin, 2-7-veined, with or without a faint midvein, with 1-3 marginal veins on either side; lower palea absent; upper lemma and palea coriaceous; upper lemma with narrowly inrolled, opaque margins, usually not acute, embracing upper palea to apex; lodicules 2; stamens3; style 2, free, stigmas plumose, exserted laterally. Caryopsis free, totally enclosed by indurate upper palea and lemma, elliptic, dorsally compressed, embryos small. About 110 species distributed in the tropical and subtropical America, now introduced to many warmer countries. Two naturalized species in Taiwan

About 110 species distributed in the tropical and subtropical America, now introduced to many warmer countries. Two naturalized species in Taiwan.

Lower Taxa

• Axonopus affinis Chase
• Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P. Beauv.