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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Leptochloa ligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 4–5 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–35 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; ascending; unilateral; 7–15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 30–50 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded, or contiguous; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.6 mm long; 0.8–0.9 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 ovate; 0.9 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 1 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein thickened; pubescent. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex emarginate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels pubescent. Palea surface puberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; isodiametric; 0.6 mm long; rugose; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1993.

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