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.

Entolasia whiteana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths pilose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–80 cm long; wiry; 4–9 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; involute; 1–10 cm long; 1–5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–9; borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 1–3 cm long; bearing 2–14 fertile spikelets on each; simple. Central inflorescence axis 2–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; flattened; 0.6–1 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 4–6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.8–2.8 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 4–6 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 4–6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 5 -veined; smooth, or scaberulous; ciliolate on margins; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent.

FLOWER Anthers 1–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis oblong; 2.5–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Vickery.

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