Drepanostachyum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect (6/6); 140–304.3–540 cm long; woody; without nodal roots (1/1). Culm-internodes terete (7/7). Culm-nodes swollen (4/4). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three (1/9), or several (2/9), or many (8/9); in a horizontal line (1/4), or in an irregular line (2/4), or in a clump (1/4); with subequal branches (6/6); thinner than stem (2/2). Culm-sheaths persistent (1/3), or tardily deciduous (1/3), or deciduous (1/3); without auricles (5/5). Culm-sheath blade linear (7/8), or lanceolate (1/8); narrower than sheath (1/1). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (8), or falcate (2). Ligule an eciliate membrane (7), or a ciliolate membrane (3). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades persistent (6), or deciduous at the ligule (4); linear (4), or lanceolate, or oblong (1); herbaceous (5), or chartaceous (5). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (3/3). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (5), or with obscure cross veins (4), or with distinct cross veins (1).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence on the same culm as leaves (3/5), or on a separate leafless culm (2/5). Inflorescence a panicle (5/5), or composed of racemes (1/5); terminal (1/5), or terminal and axillary (4/5); subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (3/5), or bracts (2/5).

Panicle open (4/5), or contracted (1/5).

Racemes single (1/1).

Spikelets solitary (5/5). Fertile spikelets pedicelled (5/5).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets (1/5), or 2–5 fertile florets (2/5), or 6 fertile florets (1/5), or 10–12 fertile florets (1/5); with a barren rhachilla extension (2/5), or with diminished florets at the apex (5/5). Spikelets linear (1/5), or lanceolate (2/5), or oblong (1/5), or ovate (1/5); laterally compressed (5/5); 8–13.8–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity (5/5); disarticulating below each fertile floret (5/5). Rhachilla internodes definite (5/5); glabrous (1/5), or pubescent (1/5), or pilose (3/5).

GLUMES Glumes persistent (5/5); shorter than spikelet (5/5). Lower glume lanceolate (1/5), or ovate (4/5); 0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous (1/2), or herbaceous (1/2); without keels (4/5), or 1-keeled (1/5); 3 -veined (3/4), or 4 -veined (2/4), or 5 -veined (3/4), or 6–7 -veined (1/4). Lower glume surface smooth (4/5), or asperulous (1/5); without pits (5/5); glabrous (3/5), or pilose (2/5). Lower glume apex obtuse (1/5), or acute (2/5), or acuminate (3/5); muticous (4/5), or mucronate (1/5). Upper glume elliptic (5/5); 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous (1/2), or herbaceous (1/2); without keels (4/5), or 1-keeled (1/5); 5–6 -veined (2/4), or 7 -veined (4/4), or 8–9 -veined (2/4). Upper glume surface smooth (4/5), or scabrous (1/5); glabrous (2/5), or pilose (3/5). Upper glume apex obtuse (1/5), or acute (2/5), or acuminate (3/5); muticous (4/5), or mucronate (1/5).

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate (4/4); chartaceous (4/5), or herbaceous (1/5); without keel (5/5); wingless (5/5); 7–9 -veined (4/4). Lemma lateral veins prominent (1/1). Lemma surface smooth (3/5), or scaberulous (1/5), or scabrous (3/5); unwrinkled (5/5); without grooves (5/5); glabrous (4/5), or pubescent (1/5). Lemma margins eciliate (3/5), or ciliolate (1/5), or ciliate (1/5). Lemma apex acute (3/4), or acuminate (1/4); muticous (1/5), or mucronate (4/5). Palea 1–1.1–1.3 length of lemma; 2 -veined (2/5), or 4–6 -veined (1/5). Palea keels smooth (4/5), or scabrous (1/5); eciliate (4/5), or ciliolate (1/5). Palea apex entire (1/1), or dentate (1/1); muticous (4/5), or with excurrent keel veins (1/5). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (4/5), or distinct from fertile (1/5); 1 in number (1/1); rudimentary (1/1).

FLOWER Lodicules 3 (5/5); membranous (1/1); glabrous (1/5), or ciliate (4/5). Anthers 3 (5/5). Stigmas 2 (4/4). Ovary glabrous (4/4).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (5/5); fusiform (4/4); apex unappendaged (5/5). Hilum linear (4/4).

DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia (4), or Tropical Asia (6).

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