Micraira

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; slender (1/1); 0.76–5.335–15 cm long; rooting from lower nodes (7/7). Lateral branches ample (2/2). Ligule an eciliate membrane (2), or a ciliolate membrane (2), or a ciliate membrane (1), or a fringe of hairs (10), or absent (1). Leaf-blades persistent (2), or deciduous at the ligule (13); linear (12), or lanceolate (3), or elliptic (1); herbaceous (11), or coriaceous (6); stiff (9), or firm (6); without exudate (14), or viscid (1). Leaf-blade midrib indistinct (3/3). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (4/4). Leaf-blade apex muticous (12), or pungent (3).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (14), or an inflated leaf-sheath (1), or bracts (2); exserted (12), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (1), or enclosed (2). Peduncle brief, the infloresence subsessile (2), or distinct (13).

Panicle open (6), or contracted (4), or spiciform (3), or capitate (2).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (6), or pedicelled (9).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 0.5–1.371–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (1), or reaching apex of florets (3), or exceeding apex of florets (13); thinner than fertile lemma (1), or firmer than fertile lemma (14). Lower glume lanceolate (1), or oblong (8), or ovate (10); 1 length of upper glume; hyaline (1), or membranous (14), or scarious (1); 1-keeled (14/14); 1 -veined (14), or 2–3 -veined (6). Lower glume lateral veins absent (14), or obscure (4), or distinct (3); without ribs (5/6), or ribbed (1/6). Lower glume surface smooth (14), or scabrous (1); without pits; glabrous (13), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1). Lower glume apex entire (14), or erose (3), or dentate (1); emarginate (5), or truncate (6), or obtuse (6), or acute (5), or acuminate (2); muticous (11), or mucronate (5), or awned (2). Upper glume lanceolate (1), or oblong (8), or ovate (10); 0.75–1.96–4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (14), or scarious (1); with undifferentiated margins (11), or hyaline margins (4); 1-keeled (13/13); 1 -veined (14), or 2 -veined (6), or 3 -veined (7). Upper glume lateral veins without ribs (6/7), or ribbed (1/7). Upper glume surface smooth (14), or scabrous (1); glabrous (13), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1); with simple hairs (2/2), or tubercle-based hairs (1/2). Upper glume apex entire (14), or erose (3), or dentate (1); emarginate (5), or truncate (5), or obtuse (6), or acute (5), or acuminate (2); muticous (11), or mucronate (5), or awned (2); 1 -awned (2/2).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or oblong (9), or ovate (6), or obovate (1); hyaline (12), or membranous (5); of similar consistency on margins (14), or much thinner on margins (1); without keel (1/13), or keeled (12/13); wingless; 1 -veined (9), or 2 -veined (5), or 3 -veined (9), or 4 -veined (1), or 5 -veined (3), or 6–7 -veined (2), or 8–9 -veined (1). Lemma lateral veins without ribs (5/10), or ribbed (5/10). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex entire (13), or erose (1), or dentate (2); 3 -fid (2/2); emarginate (9/14), or truncate (6/14), or obtuse (9/14); muticous (14), or mucronate (5). Palea 0.75 length of lemma; hyaline (10), or membranous (5); 0 -veined (1), or 2 -veined (12), or 3–5 -veined (1), or 6 -veined (2), or 7 -veined (1). Palea keels unthickened (14), or thickened (1). Palea apex divided to base (12/12).

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2 (14/14). Stigmas 2 (1/1).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (13/13); ellipsoid (9/10), or orbicular (1/10), or obovoid (1/10); smooth (1/7), or striate (5/7), or reticulate (2/7), or rugose (1/7). Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia.

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