Sarocalamus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 30–120–350 cm long; woody; with aerial roots from the nodes (1/1). Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes swollen (1/1). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement two (1/2), or three (1/2), or several (1/2); with subequal branches (1/1); thinner than stem (1/1). Culm-sheaths persistent (1/1); without auricles (2/2). Culm-sheath blade linear (1/2), or lanceolate (1/2). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base without a false petiole (1), or with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear (1), or lanceolate. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins (1), or with distinct cross veins (2).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (2), or a spatheole (1).

Racemes single; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each (1/2), or 3 fertile spikelets on each (2/2), or 4–6 fertile spikelets on each (1/2).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform (1/1).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets (2), or 6 fertile florets, or 7–10 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 18–28.83–50 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret (2), or elongated between glumes (1), or elongated below proximal fertile floret (1); definite; glabrous (1), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate (2), or ovate (1); chartaceous; without keels (1/2), or 1-keeled (1/2); 1 -veined (1/1). Lower glume lateral veins absent (1), or distinct (2). Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute (2), or acuminate (1). Upper glume elliptic (1), or ovate (2); chartaceous; without keels (1/2), or 1-keeled (1/2); 3 -veined (2/2), or 4–5 -veined (1/2). Upper glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (1), or setaceously attenuate (1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; chartaceous; without keel (1/2), or keeled (1/2); wingless; 5–6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined, or 8–9 -veined (1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (1), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (1). Lemma apex acuminate (1), or setaceously attenuate (2). Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate (1), or ciliolate (2). Palea apex dentate (1/1); muticous (2), or with excurrent keel veins (1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; glabrous (1), or ciliate (2). Anthers 3. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous (1/1).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong (1/1); apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia (1).

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