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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Ophiuros

HABIT Annual (2), or perennial (1). Culms erect (1/1); robust (1/1); 25–125.8–400 cm long. Lateral branches ample (1/1). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear (1), or lanceolate (1), or elliptic (1). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (2), or with obscure cross veins (1). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence simple (1), or compound (2); fasciculate (2/2). Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (1), or a spatheole (2); exserted (2), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (1). Spatheole linear (2/2). Peduncle widened at apex (2/2).

Racemes single; bilateral. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subcylindrical and excavated. Spikelet packing abaxial; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes oblong. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform.

Spikelets sunken; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to internode.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 2.075–3.012–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate; with central peg; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; coriaceous; without keels (2), or 2-keeled (1); wingless (2), or winged on keel (1); 7 -veined (2), or 8 -veined (1), or 9 -veined (2). Lower glume surface smooth, or cancellate (1), or areolate (2); without pits. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; membranous; 1–2 -veined (1), or 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male (1), or barren (2); with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (1), or oblong (1), or ovate (1); hyaline; 2 -veined (1/1). Fertile lemma linear (1), or lanceolate (1), or ovate (1); hyaline; without keel; wingless; 0 -veined (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Palea hyaline.

FLOWER Anthers 3 (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Africa (1), or Temperate Asia (1), or Tropical Asia (2), or Australasia (1).

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