Cephalostachyum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect (4/14), or leaning (2/14), or scandent (10/14); slender (1/1); 100–863.8–3000 cm long; wiry (1), or woody. Culm-internodes terete (15/15). Culm-nodes swollen (2/2). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several (2/3), or many (1/3); with 1 branch dominant (1/1). Culm-sheaths tardily deciduous (1/2), or deciduous (1/2); auriculate (5/5). Culm-sheath blade linear (1/9), or lanceolate (4/9), or narrowly ovate (1/9), or ovate (3/9), or triangular (1/9); as wide as sheath at base (1/5), or cordate (4/5). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (6), or erect (7), or falcate (3). Ligule an eciliate membrane (14), or a ciliolate membrane (1), or a ciliate membrane (2). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear (1), or lanceolate (15), or oblong (1), or ovate (4); herbaceous (14), or chartaceous (1), or coriaceous (1); stiff (1), or firm (15). Leaf-blade midrib indistinct (1/9), or evident (1/9), or conspicuous (7/9). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (9), or with obscure cross veins (4), or with distinct cross veins (3). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous (15/15); globose (8/15), or clustered at the nodes (7/15); in globose clusters (6/7), or oblong clusters (1/7); with glumaceous subtending bracts (7/14), or spathaceous subtending bracts (6/14), or foliaceous subtending bracts (1/14); with axillary buds at base of spikelet (15/15); leafless between clusters (2/2).

Fertile spikelets sessile (15/15).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets (14/15), or 2–4 fertile florets (1/15); with a barren rhachilla extension (11/14), or with diminished florets at the apex (5/14). Spikelets linear (1/15), or lanceolate (12/15), or oblong (2/15), or ovate (1/15); laterally compressed (15/15); 7.47–14.05–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity (15/15); disarticulating below each fertile floret (15/15). Rhachilla internodes definite (1/1). Floret callus brief (14/15), or evident (1/15); glabrous (1/1), or sparsely hairy (1/1).

GLUMES Glumes two (7/15), or several (8/15); persistent (15/15); shorter than spikelet (15/15). Lower glume lanceolate (3/8), or ovate (5/8); 1 length of upper glume; membranous (2/2); 1-keeled (2/2); wingless (7/8), or winged on keel (1/8); 3 -veined (2/4), or 7–8 -veined (1/4), or 9–11 -veined (2/4). Lower glume surface smooth (14/15), or scabrous (1/15); without pits (15/15); glabrous (12/15), or pubescent (1/15), or pilose (1/15), or hirsute (1/15). Lower glume apex acuminate (2/3), or attenuate (1/3); muticous (5/8), or mucronate (2/8), or awned (1/8). Upper glume lanceolate (3/15), or ovate (14/15); membranous (2/15), or chartaceous (13/15); without keels (13/15), or 1-keeled (2/15); wingless (14/15), or winged on keel (1/15); 3 -veined (1/5), or 7–8 -veined (2/5), or 9 -veined (4/5), or 10–11 -veined (3/5). Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins (1/1). Upper glume surface smooth (14/15), or scabrous (1/15); glabrous (12/15), or pubescent (4/15), or hirsute (1/15). Upper glume apex obtuse (1/12), or acute (1/12), or acuminate (8/12), or attenuate (1/12), or cuspidate (1/12); muticous (5/15), or mucronate (6/15), or awned (4/15); 1 -awned (4/4).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (6/15), or ovate (9/15), or orbicular (1/15); chartaceous (15/15); without keel (15/15); wingless (15/15); 5–6 -veined (1/4), or 7 -veined (2/4), or 8 -veined (1/4), or 9 -veined (3/4), or 10–11 -veined (2/4). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled (15/15); without grooves (15/15); glabrous (10/15), or puberulous (1/15), or pubescent (3/15), or hirsute (1/15). Lemma margins flat (13/15), or convolute (2/15); exposing palea (14/15), or covering most of palea (1/15); eciliate (12/15), or ciliate (3/15). Lemma apex entire (14/15), or dentate (1/15); 2 -fid (1/1); truncate (1/13), or acute (1/13), or acuminate (11/13); muticous (4/15), or mucronate (7/15), or awned (6/15); 1 -awned (6/6). Palea not rolled (9/15), or tightly convolute around flower (6/15); 1 length of lemma; chartaceous (15/15); 1 -veined (1/2), or 2 -veined (2/2), or 3–7 -veined (1/2); without keels (1/15), or 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels (2/15), or 2-keeled (12/15). Palea keels separated (1/14), or approximate (13/14); smooth (13/14), or scaberulous (1/14); eciliate (12/14), or ciliate (2/14). Palea surface glabrous (12/15), or pubescent (2/15), or pilose (1/15). Palea apex dentate (5/5); muticous (11/15), or with excurrent keel veins (4/15). Apical sterile florets 1 in number (4/5), or 2 in number (1/5); barren (2/2); rudimentary (2/5), or lanceolate (3/5). Apical sterile lemmas muticous (4/5), or awned (1/5).

FLOWER Lodicules absent (1/14), or 2 (1/14), or 3 (13/14); glabrous (3/13), or ciliate (10/13). Anthers 6 (14/14). Stigmas 2 (8/12), or 3 (7/12); plumose (14/15), or pubescent (1/15). Ovary unappendaged (1/15), or with a steeple-like appendage (14/15); glabrous (9/10), or pubescent on apex (1/10).

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp (14/14); oblong (2/8), or ovoid (4/8), or orbicular (1/8), or obovoid (4/8).

DISTRIBUTION Africa (3), or Temperate Asia (4), or Tropical Asia (13).

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