Lachnagrostis morrisii

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived; caespitose; clumped loosely. Stolons absent, or present. Culms geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–3 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 1–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; obovate; effuse; 10–25 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed. Panicle branches stiff; straight.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels clavate; unequal; 5–40 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2–3(–3.2) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.7–2.6 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; straight; 0.2–1.5 mm long overall. Palea 1.6–2.1 mm long; hyaline. Rhachilla extension 0.3–1.5 mm long; pilose.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aveneae. Brown 2008.

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