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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Littledalea
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (3), or elongated (1). Culms erect; slender (1/1); 12–33–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking (2/2). Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length (3/3). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades stiff (1), or firm (3).
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes (1).
Panicle open (3), or contracted (1).
Racemes single (1/1).
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform (2/3), or linear (1/3).
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets (1), or 5–6 fertile florets (3), or 7–8 fertile florets, or 9 fertile florets (3), or 10–11 fertile florets (2); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong (1), or cuneate (3); laterally compressed; 15–22.5–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–0.6625–0.75 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 1 -veined, or 2–3 -veined (1). Lower glume lateral veins absent (3), or distinct (1). Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate (3), or elliptic (1); 0.75–1.125–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined, or 4–5 -veined (1). Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic (1), or oblong (3); scarious; of similar consistency on margins (1), or much thinner on margins (3); without keel (1), or keeled (3); wingless; 5–6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined, or 8–11 -veined (1). Lemma surface smooth (3), or scaberulous (1); unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex emarginate (2), or truncate (2), or obtuse, or acute (1); muticous, or mucronate (1), or awned (1). Principal lemma awn from a sinus (1/1). Palea 0.4–0.5733–0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined (3/3). Palea keels smooth (1), or scabrous (3). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex (3/3).
DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia (1).
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
