Common name
Red Rice
Wild Rice
Annual Wild Rice

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

rufipogon- from the Latin rufus (reddish) and the Greek pogon (beard). Awns reddish-brown.

Published in
Not. Pl. Asiatica 3: 5, t. 144, fig. 2 (1851).

Habit
Annual or perennial, tufted. Rhizomes elongated, spongy. Stolons absent or present. Culms erect or geniculately ascending or decumbent, 70–90(–300) cm tall, spongy. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles present. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 12–17 mm long, lacerate, acute. Leaf-blades 20–60 cm long, 5–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle open, linear, nodding, 10–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, simple. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets
Spikelets appressed, solitary. Pedicels linear, angular, scabrous, glabrous, tip cupuliform. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, oblong, laterally compressed, 7.3–11.4 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes, or elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation stout. Rhachilla elongation 0.5 mm long.

Glumes
Glumes two. Lower glume 0.3–0.5 mm long. Upper glume 0.3–0.5 mm long.

Florets
Basal sterile florets 2 or more, similar, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear or lanceolate or oblong, 1.2–2.4 mm long, 10% of length of spikelet, 1-nerved, glabrous, acute. Fertile lemma oblong, laterally compressed, oblong in profile or ovate in profile, 6.5–11 mm long, cartilaginous or coriaceous, 5-nerved. Lemma midnerve spinulose. Lemma lateral nerves distinct. Lemma surface scaberulous and reticulate. Lemma margins interlocking with palea margins. Lemma apex 1-awned. Median (principal) awn subterete below, 60–70 mm long overall, 60–110 mm long, limb scabrous. Palea elliptic, 7–10.5 mm long, cartilaginous or coriaceous, 3-nerved, 1-keeled. Palea surface scabrous. Palea apex acute, muticous or awned. Palea awns 0–6 mm long. Lodicules 2, obovate, membranous. Anthers 6, 3.5–6.2 mm long. Stigmas 2, purple. Grain with adherent pericarp, lanceolate or oblong, terete, 5.2–6.7 mm long. Disseminule comprising a floret.

Continental Distribution:
Tropical Asia, Australasia, South America.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.

Western Australia: Gardner. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River. Queensland: Cook, North Kennedy, South Kennedy.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Ehrhartoideae: Oryzeae

Notes
Native. Wet, black soil, swampy places or in up to 1 m of water. Flowers Mar.–May, Sept.–Nov.