Zizania aquatica

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms erect; reed-like; 90–300 cm long; spongy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–20 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 30–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches 15–20 cm long.

Sexes segregated; on unisexual branches; with male below. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels bearing a few hairs; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 20 mm long; chartaceous; pallid; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough generally. Lemma margins interlocking with palea margins. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 10–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 3 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 6.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; linear (1–1.4mm wide); 7–9 mm long. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 5 -veined; muticous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Caucasus. North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Oryzeae. Dore 1993.

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