Zizania palustris

HABIT Annual. Culms reed-like; 100–300 cm long; spongy. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–16 mm long; entire, or erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 20–60 cm long; 3–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

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

Panicle open; ovate; 24–60 cm long; 20–40 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 3–20 cm long.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–33 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 6–30 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; shiny; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough in lines. Lemma margins interlocking with palea margins. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 18–93 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 3 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 6.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; linear; 6–17 mm long. Male spikelet glumes absent. Male spikelet lemma 6–17 mm long; muticous, or awned; with 0–2 mm long awn.

DISTRIBUTION North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, and northeast USA.

NOTES Oryzeae. Terrell 2002.

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