Distichlis distichophylla

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–30 cm long. Leaves cauline; distichous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 0.5–1 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–10; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a head; paucilateral; 1–2 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets. Central inflorescence axis 2.5–5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 1–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; 3–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3–4.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 3–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 12 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female; of racemes along a central axis. Male spikelets similar to female but less developed.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl NSW 2001.

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