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.

Lophatherum

HABIT Perennial. Culms 50–82.5–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane (1), or absent (1). Leaf-blade base without a false petiole (1), or with a false petiole (1). Leaf-blades lanceolate. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing crowded (1), or contiguous (1), or lax (1).

Spikelets ascending (1/1); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate (1), or ovate (1); laterally compressed; 6–8.25–10 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong (1), or ovate (1); 0.66–0.7275–0.75 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous (1), or pilose. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong (1), or ovate (1); 0.7–0.775–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined (1), or 7 -veined (1). Upper glume surface glabrous (1), or pilose. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong (1), or ovate (1); herbaceous; keeled; wingless; 7 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (1), or pilose (1). Lemma apex acute; mucronate (1), or awned (1); 1 -awned (1/1). Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels wingless (1), or winged (1); smooth (1), or scaberulous (1). Palea apex dentate. Apical sterile florets 5 in number (1), or 6 in number, or 7–12 in number (1); barren; in a clump; elliptic. Apical sterile lemmas awned. Apical sterile lemma awns glabrous (1), or retrorsely scabrous (1).

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 2 (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia (1), or Australasia (1), or Pacific (1).

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