Poaceae
Whiteochloa

Whiteochloa cymbiformis (Hughes) B.K.Simon

First published in Austrobaileya 2: 23 (1984)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NW., N. Central & E. Australia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms 100-200 cm long; without nodal roots, or with prop roots. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 10-30 cm long; 4-6 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 40-70 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 3-15 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 3-3.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation slender; 0.2 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 3-3.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation slender; 0.2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2.7-3.2 mm long; 0.9-1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; scarious; 5-7 -veined; sulcate; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea indurate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Paniceae. Gardner 1993.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0