Ehrharta oreophila

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; slender; 15–17 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–7 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 1.5–3 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 6–10 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.4–2.4 mm long; 0.4 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; acute; mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; 5 mm long; 1.5 length of lower sterile floret; coriaceous; acuminate; mucronate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4 mm long; coriaceous; keeled. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 2; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Ehrharteae. WDC 1997.

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