Crypsis

Crypsis* Hort. Kew 1: 48 (1789), nom. cons.

Derivation:. From the Greek kryptos (hidden), referring to the partially concealed inflorescence.

Key references (keys and floras):. B.K.Simon, Key to Australian Grasses 87 (1993); D.Sharp and B.K.Simon, AusGrass (2002); K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3: 323 (2005)

W.D.Clayton & S.A.Renvoize, Genera Graminum (1986), genus (378).

Naturalised. 8 species, from Mediterranean to North China. 1 species in Australia, WA.

Habit. Annual, tufted to decumbent. Leaf blades narrow. Ligule a fringed membrane (narrow) or a fringe of hairs.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence paniculate (a panicle of contracted, bracteate panicles or heads, or a single, elongated-contracted panicle), open (when many headed) or contracted (when only one head), a compound pseudo-inflorescence or not a compound pseudo-inflorescence. Spikelet-bearing axes falling entire.

Spikelets. Spikelets strongly laterally compressed, 1 flowered, sessile; with rachilla terminating in a floret. Fertile spikelets disarticulating above glumes or falling with glumes or not disarticulating.

Glumes. Glumes more or less equal, about equal to spikelet, long relative to adjacent lemmas (almost equalling the floret), pointed, awnless, similar (narrow, complicate). Lower glume 0–1 nerved. Upper glume 0–1 nerved.

Florets. Fertile florets 1. Lemmas membranous, entire at apex, muticous to mucronate, 1 nerved, 1 keeled. Palea relatively long, entire or apically notched or deeply bifid, 2 nerved or several nerved. Stamens 2–3. Stigmas 2. Grain small (1.5 mm long), ellipsoid, compressed laterally or terete, sculptured or smooth. Hilum short. Embryo large. Endosperm hard.

Kranz Anatomy. C4.

2n = 16, 18, 32, 36, and 54, 2, 4, and 6 ploid, commonly adventive.

Habitat. Mesophytic. Wet soils. Species of open habitats.

Classification. Chloridoideae; Cynodonteae.

Notes. Related to Sporobolus, differing mainly in the laterally compressed spikelets (Clayton and Renvoize, 1986).

Types Species. C. aculeata (L.) Aiton.

Biogeographic Element. Clifford & Simon 1981, Simon & Jacobs 1990: Naturalised.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith