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.

Echinopogon ovatus

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–70 cm long; 3–7 -noded. Culm-internodes retrorsely scabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or retrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades spreading, or reflexed; linear, or lanceolate; 1.5–16 cm long; 2–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle straight; retrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle capitate; oblong, or ovate; 0.8–5 cm long; 1–2.5 cm wide.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous; ciliolate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous; ciliolate. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex entire; emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 3–15 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Aveneae. CEH.

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