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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.
Rytidosperma tenuius
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–90 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate, or ovate; 5–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–4 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous; with scattered hairs, or glabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 10–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.5 mm long; pilose.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 10–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 10–17 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; yellow; shiny; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma hairs 4–5 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 5–7 mm long; incised 0.66 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2–3 length of limb. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2–3 mm long. Palea elliptic, or oblanceolate. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface villous; hairy on back and on flanks; hairy below. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long; yellow, or orange.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblanceolate; 2 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.
NOTES Arundineae. Vickery 1993.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
