Deyeuxia aucklandica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; green, or light brown. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 6–35 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–2 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or scaberulous on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 2.5–15 cm long; 0.3–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; loose; 2–5.5(–11) cm long; 0.3–1.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Panicle axis smooth, or scabrous. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume subulate, or lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 2.4–3.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous, or papillose. Lemma apex erose; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5–0.66 way up back of lemma; straight, or geniculate; 2–4.5 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above; with 0.5 of their length adorned. Palea surface smooth, or scaberulous. Rhachilla extension 1–1.5 mm long; pilose; with 1–2 mm long hairs.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; lanceolate; 0.6–1 mm long. Anthers 3; 0.6–1.4 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.6–2.2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Aveneae. Edgar 1997.

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