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Descriptions

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

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

Xerochloa laniflora

HABIT Annual. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–40 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; involute; 5–10 cm long; 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear; 8–15 cm long; open; with principal spatheoles embracing a compact fascicle of racemes, each subtended by a subsidiary bract. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; deciduous as a whole; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole elliptic; 0.7–1 cm long; chartaceous.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 0.4–1 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis angular; villous on surface; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 6–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface woolly; hairy below. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–9 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; scarious; with membranous margins; without keels; 2 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface woolly; hairy below. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; 7 -veined; sulcate; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret membranous (firmer below); pilose (woolly); adorned on back. Fertile lemma ovate; 6–10 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex caudate. Palea ovate; 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; 2 -veined. Palea apex acuminate.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Tothill.

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