Elionurus citreus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves mostly basal; much reduced on the culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flexuous; 20–40 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 1; single; 3–12 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; pubescent on surface; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat; with simple rim.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; flattened; pubescent.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas; lanceolate; asymmetrical; 8–10 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 3–5 -veined; ciliate on margins; acuminate; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 10–12 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 1.5 mm long; pubescent; base obtuse; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 10–12 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; 9 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 5–8 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy below. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Tothill 1993.

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