Ectrosia danesii

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 6–30 cm long; 2–5 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pilose. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 4–8.5 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 3–5 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 0.5–1.5 cm long; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–13 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 14–30 mm long; 1–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets, or below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.7–2 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets increasing in size upwards; with the lowest dissimilar. Lowest fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 0.9 length of adjacent lemma; mucronate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally straight along back; 4.5–8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–5 mm long overall. Palea 2–3 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets 3–4 in number; barren; separate; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 6–12 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2–0.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1–1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. CEH.

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