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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 dimidiatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 15–40 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute; 2–12 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–20 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 2–6 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose, or simple. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–11 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–11 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5–7 mm long; chartaceous; pallid; shiny; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2–4 mm long; incised 0.5 of lemma length; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 4 mm long. Palea oblong; 2.5 mm long. Palea keels 0.8 mm apart; ciliolate; adorned above. Palea apex emarginate, or obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 1 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Vickery 1993.

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