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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Triodia caelestialis
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Stolons absent. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 160–200 cm long; 4–5 mm diam.; 3–5 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; without exudate; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; erect; 4 mm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous, or tortuous; 15–30 cm long; 2 mm wide; without exudate. Leaf-blade apex pungent.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; lanceolate; 18–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches 11–26 in number; 6–19 cm long; bearing 14 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2–5 mm long; scabrous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; dorsally compressed; 15–24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; straight, or curved; 1–2 mm long; pilose; pungent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 15–24 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 6–16 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 15–24 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 6–16 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate (2 lines flanking midrib). Lemma apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; reflexed; 10–12 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 6–11 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea oblong; 6 mm long; cartilaginous; thinner above. Palea keels ciliate. Palea apex emarginate. Apical sterile florets distinct from fertile; 5–7 in number; in a clump; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 3 -fid.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; sulcate on hilar side; 3 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Eragrostideae. Armstrong 2009.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
