Heterachne baileyi

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 10–36 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 3–7 cm long; 1–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; interrupted; 5–20 cm long; 2–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–3.5 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 3–3.5 mm long; 2–3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.8–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.8–3 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.8–3.2 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; winged on keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea bowed outwards; 0.66 length of lemma. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; eciliate. Apical sterile florets 1–3 in number; barren; oblong. Apical sterile lemmas winged on keel.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. CEH.

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