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Volume V (2000) - Flora of New Zealand Gramineae
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Glyceria R.Br.

Glyceria R.Br., 1810 nom. cons.

Type species: G. fluitans (L.) R.Br.

Glabrous, often tall, aquatic perennials, with creeping and rooting bases or with creeping rhizomes. Leaf-sheath often closed. Ligule membranous. Leaf-blade flat. Culm robust or slender, erect, or often decumbent and ascending. Inflorescence a ± lax panicle; rachis trigonous. Spikelets ovate to linear, florets 3-many, often closely imbricate; disarticulation above glumes and between florets. Glumes unequal or subequal, persistent, usually hyaline, 1-(3)-nerved, < lowest lemma. Lemma 5-11-nerved, broad, rounded, usually obtuse, awnless, nerves parallel, usually prominent. Palea ≈ lemma. Lodicules 2, small, ± connate, fleshy, glabrous. Stamens 3. Ovary apex glabrous; styles free. Caryopsis dorsiventrally compressed, longitudinally grooved; embryo small; hilum ± linear. Fig. 8.

Key

1
Spikelets 8-30-(40) mm; palea keels winged above
2
Spikelets 2-10-(12) mm; palea keels not winged
5
2
Lemma apex with 3-5 distinct teeth; palea deeply bifid, with aristate teeth, distinctly exceeding lemma apex
1. declinata
Lemma apex without distinct teeth; palea rounded, bidenticulate or shallowly bifid, with teeth not, or slightly exceeding lemma apex
3
3
Lemma 6-7.5 mm; anthers 1.5-2.5 mm
2. fluitans
Lemma 3.5-5.5-(6) mm; anthers < 1.5 mm, or up to 2 mm but sterile
4
4
Spikelets fragile, florets readily disarticulating at maturity; lemma usually 3.5-5 mm; anthers dehiscent, pollen-fertile
5. plicata
Spikelets ± persistent; lemma usually 5-5.5 mm; anthers indehiscent, pollen-sterile
4. ×pedicellata
5
Leaf-blade 10-20 mm wide, cross-veinlets numerous, especially on leaf-sheath; spikelets 5-12 mm
3. maxima
Leaf-blade 1-4 mm wide, cross-veinlets few; spikelets to 3 mm
6. striata

c. 40 spp., mainly in Northern Hemisphere, especially North America. Naturalised spp. 5, and one probable natural hybrid.

Species are either aquatic or grow in damp or swampy ground, and are collectively known in N.Z. as floating sweet grass, except for G. maxima and G. striata.

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