Sasa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; robust (4/6), or slender (1/6), or weak (1/6); 10–117.1–300 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes constricted (1/13), or flush with internodes (1/13), or swollen (11/13). Lateral branches lacking (6), or sparse (3), or ample (6), or suffrutescent (26), or dendroid (5). Branch complement one (40/40), or three (1/40); solitary (40/40); as thick as stem (32/32). Culm-sheaths persistent (30/31), or deciduous (1/31); without auricles (20/24), or auriculate (4/24). Culm-sheath blade linear (2/12), or lanceolate (8/12), or ovate (1/12), or triangular (2/12). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (42), or falcate (3). Ligule an eciliate membrane (42), or a ciliolate membrane (3). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear (1), or lanceolate (25), or elliptic (6), or oblong (31), or ovate (2); herbaceous (40), or chartaceous (2), or coriaceous (3). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (37), or with distinct cross veins (8).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (24/26), or composed of racemes (1/26), or comprising only a few spikelets (1/26); exserted (25/26), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (1/26).

Panicle open (24/24).

Racemes single (1/1).

Spikelets solitary (26/26). Fertile spikelets pedicelled (26/26).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets (5/26), or 4 fertile florets (11/26), or 5 fertile florets (19/26), or 6 fertile florets (22/26), or 7 fertile florets (18/26), or 8 fertile florets (13/26), or 9 fertile florets (5/26), or 10 fertile florets (1/26); with diminished florets at the apex (26/26). Spikelets linear (24/26), or lanceolate (2/26), or oblong (11/26); laterally compressed (26/26); 8–24.53–80 mm long; breaking up at maturity (26/26); disarticulating below each fertile floret (26/26). Rhachilla internodes definite (26/26); glabrous (13/26), or pubescent (11/26), or pilose (2/26).

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure (3/26), or two (24/26), or several (1/26); persistent (26/26); shorter than spikelet (26/26); thinner than fertile lemma (26/26). Lower glume linear (2/25), or lanceolate (23/25); 0.25–0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; scarious (22/22); without keels (22/22); 1 -veined (4/5), or 2 -veined (1/5), or 3 -veined (2/5). Lower glume lateral veins absent (4/25), or obscure (1/25), or distinct (21/25). Lower glume surface without pits (25/25); glabrous (18/25), or pubescent (3/25), or pilose (4/25). Lower glume apex acute (13/25), or acuminate (12/25). Upper glume linear (2/25), or lanceolate (12/25), or ovate (11/25); 0.3–0.35–0.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious (22/22); without keels (22/22); 1 -veined (2/5), or 3 -veined (1/5), or 5 -veined (2/5), or 6–7 -veined (1/5). Upper glume surface glabrous (20/26), or pubescent (2/26), or pilose (4/26). Upper glume apex acute (13/25), or acuminate (12/25).

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate (26/26); chartaceous (26/26); without keel (26/26); wingless (26/26); 9 -veined (4/10), or 11 -veined (3/10), or 12 -veined (2/10), or 13 -veined (4/10), or 14 -veined (1/10). Lemma surface smooth (20/26), or asperulous (1/26), or scaberulous (1/26), or scabrous (4/26); unwrinkled (26/26); without grooves (26/26); glabrous (25/26), or pubescent (1/26). Lemma margins eciliate (16/26), or ciliolate (8/26), or ciliate (4/26). Lemma apex acute (10/26), or acuminate (15/26), or setaceously attenuate (1/26). Palea 1 length of lemma; 6 -veined (1/10), or 7 -veined (2/10), or 8 -veined (6/10), or 9 -veined (2/10), or 10 -veined (3/10). Palea keels smooth (25/26), or scaberulous (1/26); eciliate (13/26), or pubescent (1/26), or ciliolate (6/26), or ciliate (6/26). Palea surface glabrous (22/26), or pubescent (3/26), or pilose (1/26). Palea apex dentate (2/2); muticous (21/26), or with excurrent keel veins (4/26), or awned (1/26). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (26/26).

FLOWER Lodicules 3 (26/26); glabrous (15/26), or ciliate (11/26); obtuse (1/4), or acute (3/4). Anthers 3 (1/26), or 6 (25/26). Stigmas 2 (2/26), or 3 (24/26).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (26/26); ellipsoid (2/5), or oblong (3/5), or ovoid (1/5); apex unappendaged (26/26).

DISTRIBUTION Europe (1), or Temperate Asia, or Australasia (1).

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