Rytidosperma craigii

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 9–18 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 1–2.5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.75 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; deciduous at the ligule; filiform; involute; 6–10 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 10–15 fertile spikelets. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle contracted; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–0.66 mm long. Floret callus 0.3–0.4 mm long; pubescent; obtuse; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; 3.75–4.25 mm long; 1–1.2 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 2–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong, or ovate; 3.5–3.6 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 2–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface smooth; with marginal hair tufts; bearing 2–4 hair tufts in all. Lemma hairs 0.6 mm long. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 4 mm long overall. Palea 2.75 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; obovate; 0.4 mm long; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.5–0.75 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Arundineae. Alp Fl N Guin 1999.

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