Neurachne annularis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths distinctly ribbed; woolly. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–75 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes striate. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, or flexuous; aciculate; conduplicate; 10–24 cm long; 0.4–0.8 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 15–20 fertile spikelets. Peduncle 10–30 cm long.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2.5–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets absent, or well-developed; 0–2 in number.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; falling entire. Spikelet callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 7–9 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 5 -veined (6–7 visible inside). Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface flat, or concave; scabrous; pilose; hairy between veins. Lower glume margins tuberculately ciliate. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume elliptic; 7–9 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 7 -veined (8–9 visible inside). Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy between veins. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume awn 2 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, or elliptic; 5.5–6 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels, or 1-keeled (weakly); 6–7 -veined; pubescent; hairy between veins; ciliate on margins; fringed above; truncate. Palea of lower sterile floret membranous; 0.8–1.5 mm long. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 4.7–5.7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy above. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex truncate, or acute. Palea with auriculate flaps; hyaline; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4–0.6 mm long; fleshy; veined. Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Macfarlane 2009.

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