Apluda

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent, or prostrate, or scandent; 30–300 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; paniculate. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole ovate; membranous.

Racemes single; bearing a triad of spikelets. Rhachis obsolete.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary, or well-developed; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; base obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; coriaceous; without keels; winged on keel; 13 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; gibbous; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex entire, or lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.6 of lemma length; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight, or geniculate. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa, or Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia, or Australasia, or Pacific.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.