Neohouzeaua

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect (3/7), or arching (2/7), or leaning (1/7), or scandent (3/7); 300–983–2000 cm long; woody; eventually collapsing and rooting from upper nodes (1/1). Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one (1/4), or several (1/4), or many (2/4); with subequal branches (2/3), or 1 branch dominant (1/3). Culm-sheaths persistent (1/5), or deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (1/5), or deciduous (3/5); auriculate (5/5). Culm-sheath blade linear (1/6), or lanceolate (5/6), or narrowly ovate (2/6), or ovate (1/6). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (4), or falcate (4). Ligule an eciliate membrane (7), or a ciliolate membrane (1). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate (5), or oblong (5), or ovate (1); herbaceous (6), or chartaceous (2). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (7), or with obscure cross veins (1).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous (6/6); clustered at the nodes (6/6); in globose clusters (1/6), or stellate clusters (2/6), or untidy tufts (3/6); with glumaceous subtending bracts (4/6), or spathaceous subtending bracts (2/6); with axillary buds at base of spikelet (6/6); leafless between clusters (6/6).

Fertile spikelets sessile (6/6).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets (6/6); without rhachilla extension (6/6), or with a barren rhachilla extension (1/6). Spikelets linear (6/6), or oblong (1/6); laterally compressed (3/6), or subterete (3/6); 12–21.16–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity (6/6); disarticulating below each fertile floret (6/6). Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret (3/6), or elongated below proximal fertile floret (3/6).

GLUMES Glumes two (1/6), or several (5/6); persistent (4/4); shorter than spikelet (4/4). Lower glume ovate (1/1); chartaceous (1/1). Lower glume surface without pits (6/6). Lower glume apex acute (1/1); mucronate (1/1). Upper glume lanceolate (3/4), or ovate (4/4); chartaceous (4/4); without keels (4/4). Upper glume apex acute (2/2); muticous (1/4), or mucronate (3/4).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (3/6), or elliptic (1/6), or oblong (2/6), or ovate (3/6); chartaceous (6/6); without keel (6/6); wingless (6/6); 13 -veined (1/2), or 21 -veined (1/2). Lemma midvein eciliate (5/6), or ciliolate (1/6). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled (6/6); without grooves (6/6); glabrous (2/6), or puberulous (1/6), or pubescent (3/6), or hirsute (1/6). Lemma margins flat (3/6), or convolute (3/6); eciliate (5/6), or ciliolate (1/6), or pubescent (1/6). Lemma apex acute (4/6), or acuminate (1/6), or setaceously attenuate (1/6); muticous (2/6), or mucronate (2/6), or awned (3/6); 1 -awned (3/3). Palea not rolled (3/6), or tightly convolute around flower (3/6); chartaceous (6/6); 12 -veined (1/2), or 22 -veined (1/2); without keels (6/6). Palea surface glabrous (4/6), or pubescent (2/6). Palea apex awned (6/6).

FLOWER Lodicules absent (6/6), or 2 (1/6). Anthers 6 (6/6). Stigmas 3 (6/6). Ovary with a steeple-like appendage (6/6).

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp (6/6); obovoid (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia (2), or Tropical Asia (6).

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