Oryza australiensis

Oryza australiensis Domin. Biblioth. Bot. 85: 333 (1915).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Ehrhartoideae. Tribe Oryzeae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: Australia, Sturt's Creek: Mueller (K iso).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (14), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae
2 (364).

Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (15,
Pl.1), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2
(363, Fig. 49).

Habit. Annual
or perennial. Rhizomes present, elongated. Stolons present. Culms erect,
100–220(–300) cm tall, 4–8 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface.
Leaf-sheath auricles absent (sometimes subauriculate). Ligule an eciliate membrane,
2–3 mm long, entire (often split), truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades 10–35 cm
long, 3–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous or scabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or elliptic, 18–50 cm
long.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 2 basal sterile
florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblong,
laterally compressed, 6–8.4 mm long.

Glumes. Upper
glume 0.3–0.7 mm long. Florets. Basal sterile florets 2 or more, barren,
without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 10 % of length of
spikelet, herbaceous, 1-keeled (slightly), 1 -nerved. Lemma of upper sterile
floret 1.4–1.6 mm long.

Fertile lemma 6–8 mm
long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned.
Median (principal) awn 5–30 mm long overall. Palea 3 -nerved, without keels.
Lodicules present. Anthers 6. Grain 4.7–6.4 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.

Western Australia:
Gardner, Dampier. Northern Territory: Victoria River, Central Australia
North. Queensland: Burke, Cook, North Kennedy.

Notes.
Endemic. Growing in water, swamps or seasonally inundated areas, often in black
or grey clays. Flowers Mar.-Aug.

 

AVH 2011

 


     

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