Click For Images

Oryza minuta Presl

Derivation
Oryza L., Sp. Pl. 333 (1753); Latinized from the Arabic uruz (rice), whence Greek oruza (rice) is also derived.

minuta- Latin for very small. Smaller than usual in some respect.

Published in
Reliq. Haenk.1: 208 (1830).


Habit
Perennial, tufted. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, 50–200(–300) cm tall. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 5 mm long, erose, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades 15–80 cm long, 7–23 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle, comprising 6–20 fertile spikelets. Panicle open, ovate, 7.5–42 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping, whorled at lower nodes, simple, 10–15 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels linear, angular, scabrous. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, elliptic or ovate, laterally compressed, 3.7–6.4 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, falling entire.

Glumes
Glumes two. Lower glume 0.1–0.2 mm long. Upper glume 0.1–0.2 mm long.

Florets
Basal sterile florets 2 or more, similar, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm long, 10% of length of spikelet, 1-nerved, scaberulous, acute or acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong or orbicular, laterally compressed, oblong in profile, 3.7–6.2 mm long, coriaceous, dark brown or black, 5-nerved, several-nerved. Lemma midnerve spinulose. Lemma lateral nerves prominent. Lemma surface scabrous and reticulate. Lemma margins interlocking with palea margins. Lemma apex 1-awned. Median (principal) awn flat below, 3–18 mm long overall, 4–23 mm long. Palea elliptic, 3.6–5.1 mm long, coriaceous, 3-nerved, 1-keeled. Palea keels spinulose. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex acute, awned. Palea awns 1 mm long. Lodicules 2, elliptic or obovate, membranous. Anthers 6, 1.4–2.8 mm long. Stigmas 2, purple. Grain with adherent pericarp, ellipsoid, laterally compressed, 2.3–4.4 mm long. Disseminule comprising a floret.


Continental Distribution:
Tropical Asia, Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Northern Territory, Queensland.

Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Ehrhartoideae: Oryzeae

Notes
Native (?). SE Asia, India to New Guinea (Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, S Vietnam, Malesia). Flowers May.


Images
Illustrations available:
Inflorescence and detail of inflorescence (scanned specimen)
Spikelet and ligule (line drawing)
Australian distribution



Inflorescence and detail of inflorescence (scanned specimen)
© Queensland Herbarium
by Will Smith


Return to list



Spikelet and ligule (line drawing)
© Darwin Herbarium
by Monika Osterkamp Madsen


Return to list



Australian Distribution
© ABRS


Return to list
Return to Top