GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Echinopogon

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (2), or elongated (5). Culms erect (6), or geniculately ascending; 10–50.71–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking (6/6). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate (3); stiff (1), or firm (6). Leaf-blade apex muticous, or pungent (3).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform (5), or capitate (5).

Spikelets appressed (2/6), or ascending (2/6), or spreading (4/6); solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (2), or lanceolate (3), or oblong (4); laterally compressed; 2.5–5.071–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief (4), or evident (3); pubescent (3/6), or bearded (3/6).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets (4), or exceeding apex of florets (3); thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous (6), or chartaceous (1), or scarious (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous (5), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (1). Lower glume apex obtuse (2), or acute (4), or acuminate (1), or attenuate (2). Upper glume lanceolate; 1–1.107–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous (6), or chartaceous (1), or scarious (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein eciliate (3), or ciliolate (4), or ciliate (2). Upper glume surface glabrous (5), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (1). Upper glume apex obtuse (2), or acute (4), or acuminate (1), or attenuate (2).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (6), or elliptic (1), or oblong (2); cartilaginous; keeled; wingless; 5 -veined, or 6–7 -veined (6), or 8–9 -veined (1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (6), or hispidulous (1). Lemma apex entire (3), or dentate (6); 2 -fid (6/6); emarginate (1), or obtuse (1), or acute (6); mucronate (1), or awned (6); 1 -awned (3/6), or 3 -awned (4/6). Principal lemma awn apical (3), or from a sinus (6). Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal (4/4). Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth (6), or scaberulous (1), or scabrous (1); eciliate (3), or ciliolate (6).

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous (3/6), or pubescent on apex (4/6).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid (1/3), or oblong (2/3). Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Tropical Asia (2), or Australasia.

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