Hygrochloa

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 100–200 cm long; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis tip subulate. Rhachis angular; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Sexes segregated; on unisexual branches; with male above. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Male spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2–2.75 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex entire, or erose, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Upper glume ovate; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex entire, or lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acute. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; wingless; 5 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; dorsally compressed. Embryo 0.66 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; oblong. Male spikelet glumes 2.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.