GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Dichelachne inaequiglumis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 25–70 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes purple. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.1–0.5 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades 7–15 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 25–55 cm long.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–30 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus hairs 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; flexuous; 13.5–18.5 mm long overall. Palea linear; 3.5–4 mm long. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex ciliate. Rhachilla extension 0–0.2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.4–0.7 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; 2–2.5 mm long. Embryo 0.1–0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.8 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Aveneae. Edgar & Connor 1995.

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