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.

Dichelachne micrantha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–110 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1(–1.5) mm long. Leaf-blades 10–23 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 20–45 cm long.

Panicle contracted; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 10–19 cm long; 2–3.5 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.2–0.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus hairs 0.35–0.75 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.75–4.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse (easily splitting); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.75 way up back of lemma (0.5–1mm below apex); flexuous; 10–17 mm long overall; 3.5–5 length of lemma. Palea 0.25–3 mm long; 0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.2–0.6 mm long; glabrous, or ciliate. Anthers 1, or 3; 1–1.75 mm long; pallid, or yellow, or purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; 2.25–4.45 mm long; apex rostrate. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm liquid.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central and north-central.

NOTES Aveneae. Veldkamp.

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