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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Chionochloa frigida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths papery; distinctly ribbed; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths loose; inner surface glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; involute; 30–60 cm long; 4–6 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 8–12 cm long. Panicle branches pilose; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–2 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–13 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–15 mm long; 1.25 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–12 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 0.75–1.5 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 8–15 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1–3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 8 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 4 mm long; yellow, or orange.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Vickery.

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