Uranthoecium

HABIT Annual. Culms 30–40 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; in a bilateral false spike; appressed; oblong; unilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–4 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis flattened; disarticulating at nodes. Rhachis angular; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Spikelet packing abaxial; crowded.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8.3–12 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; 2-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; coriaceous; 7–9 -veined; sulcate; caudate. Palea of lower sterile floret becoming indurate on keels at maturity; winged on keels. Fertile lemma ovate; indurate; without keel; wingless; 5 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex rostrate. Palea indurate; 2 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia.

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