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.

Rytidosperma carphoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–40 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 3–20 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; ovate; 1.5–4 cm long; 1.5–2.5 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 6–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 6–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; with a transverse row of hair tufts. Lemma hairs 3–4 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; obtuse, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 3–6 mm long overall; without a column. Palea obovate. Palea keels 2.3 mm apart; ciliolate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.5–1.5 mm long; pallid.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Vickery 1993.

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