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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Rytidosperma caespitosum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–90 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–35 cm long; 1–2(–4) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 10–30 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 3–13 cm long. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 14–24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.75–1.5 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 14–24 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–24 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; pallid; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma hairs 4–5 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 4 mm long; incised 0.5–0.66 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2–7 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 6–8 mm long. Palea lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.5–2 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblanceolate, or obovoid; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. Vickery 1993.

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