Yakirra pauciflora

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 31–75 cm long; 4–8 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–2 mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 4–20 cm long; 1.5–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–6 cm long; bearing 2–8 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–20 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblanceolate, or elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.7–5.2 mm long; 1.1–1.8 mm wide; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Floret callus evident; winged; with free apical wings; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2–3.1 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 3.6–5.1 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute, or acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 2.6–3.6 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea involute; 1 length of lemma; indurate. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Webster.

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