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 remotum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths pallid; glossy. Culms erect; slender; 10–20 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; smooth. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2–4 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 2–7 fertile spikelets. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle open; ovate; 1.5–3 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 9–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5–0.75 mm long; bearded.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblanceolate; 5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma hairs 1.5 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2.5 mm long; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 7.5–9 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 3.5 mm long. Palea oblanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins. Palea apex dentate; 2–3 -fid; truncate, or acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.75 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Morris 1997.

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