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.

Pheidochloa

HABIT Annual. Culms 10–25–40 cm long; firm (1), or wiry (1). Lateral branches ample (1/1). Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or comprising only a few spikelets (1).

Panicle open (1), or contracted (1).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension (1), or with a barren rhachilla extension (1). Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–8.375–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes; definite. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent (1), or deciduous (1); exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (1), or oblong (1), or ovate (1); 0.5–0.55–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5–6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with undifferentiated margins (1), or scarious margins (1); without keels; 5–6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or oblong (1); subterete (1/1); linear in profile (1/1); cartilaginous (1), or coriaceous (1); without keel; wingless; 5–6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; pubescent. Lemma margins involute; exposing palea (1), or interlocking with palea keels (1). Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous. Palea 0.8–0.9–1 length of lemma; membranous (1), or cartilaginous (1); 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear (1), or fusiform (1). Embryo 0.1–0.15–0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear (1/1); 1 length of caryopsis.

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

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