Rytidosperma paschale

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.1–0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–22 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle lanceolate; 5–10 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pilose; hairy in 4 tufts; with longer hairs above.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; 1.2–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface with marginal hair tufts; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 5–8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea oblong; 0.7 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: south-central.

NOTES Arundineae. Zizka 1994.

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