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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Spartochloa scirpoidea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths papery; pallid. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long; wiry. Leaves with blades commonly suppressed, transferring photosynthetic function to sheath and culm. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; triangular to linear; 0.5–3 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 3–23 cm long; 0.8–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple; 0.3–2 cm long; bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches stiff (on a stiff central axis); terete.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; terete; eglandular; smooth.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea elliptic; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; trigonous; without sulcus; 1.5 mm long. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC.

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