|
Note - this takes you off
of our website |
GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Helictotrichon sinuatum
HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 40–70 cm long; 0.8–2 mm diam.; 1–4 -noded. Culm-internodes terete, or elliptical in section; ridged; smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–11 mm long; acute, or acuminate. Leaf-blades 8–17 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially and abaxially; scabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Panicle open; 10–21 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–3 -nate; 5–11 cm long.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 10–20 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–19 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.7–4.5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.3–5.8 mm long; 0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6.2–8.2 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; with outer lobes shorter; with lobes 0.5–1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.6–0.66 way up back of lemma; straight; flat below; 14–26 mm long overall; without a column. Palea 0.75–0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliate. Palea surface smooth. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1–1.6 mm long; membranous; glabrous; acute. Anthers 3; 2.2–3.3 mm long; eventually exserted, or retained within floret. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.3–2.7 mm long; light brown; glabrous. Embryo 0.25–0.35 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.3–0.4 length of caryopsis.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Aveneae. Jacobs & Lap 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
