Monachather paradoxus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; woolly. Culms erect; 30–70 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 7–12 cm long; 5–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–15 cm long; 2 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.25 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 8–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 8–17 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–15 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below; with a transverse fringe of hair. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes; incised 0.66 of lemma length; attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 5–7 mm long overall; not or scarcely exserted from spikelet. Palea ovate; 0.33 length of lemma; coriaceous; 0 -veined; without keels. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; glabrous. Anthers 3; 0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear; 0.25 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Tothill.

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