COMPARATIVE SPIKELET MORPHOLOGY OF ORYZA-SCHLECHTERI PILGER AND RELATED SPECIES OF LEERSIA AND ORYZA (POACEAE)

Oryza schlechteri has only recently been rediscovered in Papua New Gui nea. This species is quite distinct from other Oryza species but resem bles closely related genus Leersia in its small panicle and profusely spreading habit. On the basis of spikelet morphology that has previous ly been used to distinguish Leersia and Oryza species, O. schlechteri was compared with O. brachyantha. O. longiglumis, O. sativa, L. perrie ri, L. tisseranti, and L. hexandra to clarify its generic position. Re sults corroborate that the presence of a sterile lemma and a striated spikelet epidermal (abaxial) surface lacking siliceous triads in O. sc hlechteri allies this species with other Oryza species rather than wit h Leersia.