Cleistochloa subjuncea

HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; without keel; ribbed; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; flat, or convolute; 1–5 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acute; callose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Racemes 1; single; paucilateral; 0.7–2.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–6 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular (subtriquetrous); scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; semiterete; 0.3–0.4 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; subacute; 3.5–4.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume oblong; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 7 -veined; ribbed; glabrous; truncate. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface granulose; with distinct germination flap. Lemma margins flat; exposing palea; eciliate, or ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea oblong; involute; 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 2.8 mm long. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm farinose. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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