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.

Echinochloa kimberleyensis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long; 3–5 mm diam.; compressible; 5 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.25–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous; ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 7–15; borne along a central axis; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 2–7 cm long; with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 10–25 cm long. Rhachis subterete; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; subequal. Pedicels unequal; 0.25–1.25 mm long; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; cuspidate; 5–7.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough generally. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scabrous; rough on veins; acuminate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 50–85 mm long. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.25–0.5 length of lemma; pubescent; adorned on keels. Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 5–6.5 mm long; indurate; much thinner above; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex cuspidate; laterally pinched. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–2.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.75–3.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5–0.6 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Michael 1994.

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