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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 nivicola

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pubescent. Culms erect; slender; 10–20 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–10 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 2–3 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8 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. Lower glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface with marginal hair tufts; bearing 4 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25–0.33 of lemma length; acute, or acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight; 1–2 mm long overall; without a column. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate, or obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Vickery 1993.

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