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.

Echinopogon cheelii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–100 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Culm-internodes retrorsely scabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths retrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 7–14 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate; muticous, or pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle nodding; antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle spiciform, or capitate; lanceolate, or ovate; 2.5–6 cm long; 1–3 cm wide.

Spikelets appressed, or ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; bearded. Floret callus hairs 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous; ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 1.1–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous; ciliate. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface hispidulous; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 8–22 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aveneae. CEH.

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