Pheidochloa gracilis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 10–30 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 0.3–4 cm long; 0.2–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 2–20 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; elliptic; 1.5–3.2 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches pilose.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.1 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4.5–5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; linear in profile; 3.7–4.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; 33–38 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; linear. Anthers 2; 0.15–0.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; without sulcus; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eriachneae. WDC.

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