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.

Raddia angustifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–30 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline; 6–9 per branch. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.8–1 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–5 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in different inflorescences. Inflorescence composed of racemes; axillary; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Axillary inflorescences present in lower axils.

Racemes 1; single; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–3 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 1 in a cluster, or 2 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform (male), or cuneate (female).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3.2–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.8 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; firmer on margins; pallid; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough at apex; glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.2–4.5 mm long; 1.2–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with cartilaginous margins; pallid; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 2.2–3 mm long.

MALE Male inflorescence terminal; unlike female; a panicle, or of few spikelets (5–15). Male spikelets distinct from female; 1 flowered; separately deciduous; linear; 4.5 mm long; glabrous. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 3 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Olyreae. Soderstrom.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS 1 female inflorescence per node.

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