Common name
Rice

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

sativa- Latin for cultivated. Crop species.

Published in
Sp. Pl. 1: 333 (1753).

Habit
Annual or perennial, tufted. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 45–190 cm tall, 3–20-noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles present. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 15–30 mm long, entire or lacerate, obtuse or acute. Leaf-blades 12–65 cm long, 4–22 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous or scabrous, glabrous or pubescent. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle open, lanceolate, equilateral or nodding, 9–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed or ascending or spreading. Panicle branches angular, scaberulous.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels linear, angular, 2–4 mm long, scaberulous, glabrous or pubescent, tip cupuliform, bibracteate. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, elliptic or oblong, laterally compressed, 8–11 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, persistent on plant. Spikelet callus glabrous, base truncate, attached obliquely.

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

Florets
Basal sterile florets 2 or more, similar, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate or oblong or ovate, 1.5–3.9 mm long, membranous, 1-nerved, without lateral nerves, glabrous, acute or acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic, laterally compressed, lanceolate in profile or oblong in profile, 6–11 mm long, chartaceous or coriaceous, 3(–5)-nerved. Lemma midnerve ciliate, hairy above. Lemma lateral nerves obscure. Lemma surface reticulate, glabrous or hispid. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex rostrate, muticous or 1-awned. Median (principal) awn 0–160 mm long overall, limb scabrous. Palea elliptic, 5.8–9.5 mm long, 100% of length of lemma, cartilaginous or coriaceous, 3-nerved, 1-keeled. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex acute. Lodicules 2, lanceolate or obovate, membranous. Anthers 6, 0.8–2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2, white or yellow or red or purple. Grain with adherent pericarp, lanceolate or ellipsoid or ovoid, terete, 5.1–7.5 mm long. Disseminule comprising a floret.

Continental Distribution:
Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific, North America, South America.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales.

Western Australia: Gardner, Drummond. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: North Kennedy. New South Wales: South-Western Slopes, South-Western Plains.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Ehrhartoideae: Oryzeae

Notes
Introduced. Native to India, now cultivated all over the world in tropical to Mediterranean areas. Marshes and wet, inundated fields, in fresh or brackish water. Cultivated rice, the staple food in many parts of the world, and grown in many forms.