Rehia

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 12–19 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades oblong.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes single; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–5 fertile spikelets on each.

Sexes mixed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform, or cuneate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; indurate; without keel; wingless. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; pubescent. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; lanceolate. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma muticous.

DISTRIBUTION South America.

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