Symplectrodia gracilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes absent. Butt sheaths green; glabrous, or pubescent. Culms 75–100 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 7–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense, or loose; 7–17 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate; simple; 3–5.5 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches angular; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–12 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 13–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.8–2.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex attenuate, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12.5–15 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; cartilaginous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex attenuate, or setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate, or ciliate; hairy below. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5–8 mm long overall. Palea fused below to rhachilla internode; 0.8 length of lemma; cartilaginous; thinner above; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Palea apex acute. Apical sterile florets 4–5 in number; abscissing from fertile floret; barren; in a clump; lanceolate; 3–6 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas pilose; adorned on margins; lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 8–9 mm long (laterals 5–6mm).

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.8–1 mm long; fleshy. Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with tardily free pericarp; linear; sulcate on hilar side; 4–4.5 mm long. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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