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 subspicata

HABIT Perennial; mat forming; clumped densely. Culms prostrate; 2–3 cm long; 0.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes 0.1 cm long; estriate, or ridged. Leaves cauline; spiral. Leaf-sheaths 0.3–0.4 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; as wide as blade at the collar; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 6–9 cm long; 0.75 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 1–1.8 cm long; eglandular; pilose above.

Panicle spiciform; ovate, or globose; 0.3–0.4 cm long. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches eglandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1.5–2 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; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose; with simple hairs and tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 3–4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pilose; with simple hairs and tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.5 mm long; hyaline; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma apex emarginate, or obtuse. Palea oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea apex divided to base; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 0.5 mm long; striate.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Micraireae. Lazarides.

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