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 viride

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 25–55 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 3–4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; (0.2–)0.8–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; involute; 15–35 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins smooth to scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above.

Panicle open; 5–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4(–5) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; (6–)8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.7–1 mm long. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 5(–7) -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–12 mm long; 1.2–1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.5–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 4–4.7 mm long; incised 0.6–0.7 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8–11 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes. Palea 3.5–4.5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back and on flanks; hairy below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; (0.8–)1–1.5(–2) mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.4–1.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. Connor & Edgar 1993.

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