GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Triodia latzii

HABIT Perennial; mat forming, or caespitose. Culms 130 cm long; with prop roots. Leaf-sheaths resinous; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 5–10 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; flat, or conduplicate; 30–40 cm long; 1.3–3.3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; resinous. Leaf-blade surface grooved on either side of midline. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; dense; 30–40 cm long; 2–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple; 5–9 cm long. Panicle axis angular. Panicle branches angular, or flat.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3.5–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed, or subterete; compressed slightly; 10–13 mm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Rhachilla elongation 0.5 mm long. Rhachilla internodes 1.3 mm long. Floret callus 0.4 mm long; pilose; truncate, or obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; cartilaginous; with scarious margins; 1-keeled; keeled all along, or above; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 1–2 mm long; acuminate. Palea oblanceolate; coriaceous; thinner above. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface smooth; glabrous. Palea apex entire; acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1996.

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