Austroderia richardii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms robust; 200–300 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 60–80 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless throughout.

INFLORESCENCE Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 30–60 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 20–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny. Lower glume linear; 20–35 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume linear; 20–35 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–15 mm long; 1–3 mm wide; hyaline; shiny; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface plumose; hairy below. Lemma hairs 6–8 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with filiform lobes; with lobes 3–7 mm long; attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 8–10 mm long overall. Palea hyaline; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2–2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 2.5 mm long. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis.

MALE Male inflorescence bisexual similar to female; a panicle. Male spikelets resembling female.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC 1993.

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