Rostraria clarkeana

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–25 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; lanceolate, or oblong; 2.4–4.5 cm long; 1 cm wide. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3.1 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; 2–4 mm long overall; 1 length of lemma. Palea gaping; hyaline. Palea keels scaberulous. Rhachilla extension pubescent.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Pak 1993.

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