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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.
Micraira spinifera
HABIT Perennial; mat forming; clumped densely. Culms prostrate; 2–5 cm long; 0.4 mm diam. Culm-internodes 0.1 cm long; estriate. Leaves cauline; spiral. Leaf-sheaths 0.3–0.4 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; as wide as blade at the collar; ribbed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; involute, or convolute; 7–10 cm long; 0.75–1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade venation comprising 3–5 vascular bundles. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous; ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 1.5–4 cm long; eglandular, or glandular; glabrous.
Panicle contracted; oblong; 0.6–1 cm long; 0.3–0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–3.5 cm long. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous. Panicle branches eglandular, or glandular; smooth, or scaberulous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.3–2.5 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1.25–1.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.25–1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse to acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn terete 0.2–0.5 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 1.25–1.5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse to acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn terete 0.2–0.5 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 0.6–0.7 mm long; hyaline; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex emarginate; mucronate. Palea oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea apex divided to base; 2 -fid.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 0.6–0.75 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.5 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Micraireae. Lazarides.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
