Spathia neurosa

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 15–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths inflated. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; 7–10 cm long; membranous.

Racemes 3; digitate; 3–3.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs dark brown; 3 mm long. Rhachis internodes filiform, or linear; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66 length of fertile spikelet. Rhachis internode tip oblique; cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 0.5 length of fertile spikelet; ciliate; tip oblique.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number; 2 in upper raceme; male; lanceolate; equalling fertile.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; comprising 2 unequal glumes without lemmas; oblong; 5 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus oblong; obtuse. Companion sterile spikelet glumes membranous; 13 -veined; villous; ciliate on margins; dentate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5.5–6.2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs dark brown; 0.75 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 6–8 -veined. Lower glume surface tuberculate (base of transverse hairs); pilose; with a transverse fringe of hair. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume hairs dark brown. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–6.2 mm long; coriaceous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume surface villous; hairy below. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 2.5–2.7 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma linear; 1.8–2.7 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 19–33 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.6–0.7 mm long; membranous; truncate. Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2–2.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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