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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 pauciflorum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 5–15 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2–7 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–6 fertile spikelets; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; ovate; 1–2 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis villous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.3 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 4–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4–7 mm long; 1.2–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.25–3.5 mm long; chartaceous; yellow; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma hairs 2 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2 mm long; incised 0.66 of lemma length; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–7 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea oblong; 2.5 mm long. Palea keels 0.8 mm apart; ciliolate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy below. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate, or obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Vickery 1993.

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