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.

Thyridolepis multiculmis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; woolly. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–70 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.8–1.2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–10 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pubescent. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted (spikelets distant below); 4.5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis angular; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1.4 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 5.6–8 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 4.8–7.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove; fenestrate; pubescent, or pilose; with a dorsal tuft of hair. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 5.1–7.5 mm long; 0.7–0.85 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume margins tuberculate; ciliate and setose. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 5 -veined; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.1–4.9 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4–0.8 mm long. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Webster.

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