Oxychloris

HABIT Annual, or perennial. Culms 15–47 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes digitate; unilateral. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; winged on margins; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets 3–5 in number; barren; in a clump; flabellate. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; trigonous. Embryo 0.5–0.75 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia.

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