Ectrosia ovata

HABIT Annual. Culms (16–)30–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 0.8–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 3.5–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; distant; 1–7 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; (5–)8–15 mm long; 1.3–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.1–5.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Fertile florets increasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma lanceolate to ovate; dorsally convex along back, or straight along back; 3.4–5(–6) mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3–5(–7) -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma surface scaberulous; glabrous. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Palea 0.5–0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface smooth, or scaberulous. Apical sterile florets 5 in number; barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 0.7–1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Austral 2003.

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