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.

Neyraudia

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (1), or short (3). Culms erect; robust (1/1); 100–231.2–400 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades persistent (1), or deciduous at the ligule (3); herbaceous (3), or coriaceous (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open.

Spikelets appressed (1/1); solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets (1/1); 3 fertile florets (2), or 4–6 fertile florets (3), or 7 fertile florets (2), or 8 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7.5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite. Floret callus evident; pubescent (2), or pilose (2).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75–0.8375–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined (3), or 3 -veined (1). Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (3). Upper glume lanceolate; 0.6–0.775–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined (2), or 3 -veined (2). Upper glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (3).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren (1/1); without significant palea (1/1). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (1/1); membranous (1/1); 3 -veined (1/1). Fertile lemma lanceolate; membranous (3), or scarious (1), or cartilaginous (1); without keel; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.1–0.15–0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight (1), or curved (3). Palea 0.5–0.6833–0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth (2), or scaberulous (2). Palea surface glabrous (3), or pubescent (1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear (2/3), or oblong (1/3); isodiametric (3/3); biconvex (2/2). Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa (1), or Temperate Asia (3), or Tropical Asia (3), or North America (1).

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