Astrebla lappacea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or decumbent; 30–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 4–5 mm wide; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–2; single, or paired; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 5–30 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; 1 their length apart; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 7–13 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 7–13 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–10 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 3 -veined (in the body). Lemma lateral veins augmented by subsidiaries in lobes. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with outer lobes longer; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 4–14 mm long overall. Palea keels pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Tothill.

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