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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 maculatum
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 1.5–2.5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; aciculate; involute; 6–12 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above.
Panicle contracted; 1–3.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous; bearing a few hairs; hairy at tip.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 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. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus evident; 4 mm long; pilose.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 7–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy between veins. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 7–10 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy between veins. Upper glume apex obtuse.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 1.5–3 mm long; incised 0.4–0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 3–5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes. Palea 3–5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.3–0.5 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.3–1.5 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.
NOTES Arundineae. Connor & Edgar 1993.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
