Sasaella

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 5–145.9–300 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches suffrutescent (6), or dendroid (3). Branch complement one (8), or two (1), or three (2); solitary (6/8), or in a horizontal line (2/8); as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths persistent (6/6); without auricles (3/3). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong (6); herbaceous (8), or chartaceous (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (5/6), or composed of racemes (1/6).

Panicle open (5/5).

Racemes single (1/1).

Spikelets solitary (6/6). Fertile spikelets pedicelled (6/6).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets (1/6), or 5–6 fertile florets (4/6), or 7 fertile florets (5/6), or 8–9 fertile florets (3/6), or 10 fertile florets (2/6), or 11 fertile florets (1/6); with diminished florets at the apex (6/6). Spikelets linear (4/6), or oblong (3/6); laterally compressed (6/6); 8–30.83–50 mm long; breaking up at maturity (6/6); disarticulating below each fertile floret (6/6). Rhachilla internodes definite (6/6); glabrous (3/6), or pubescent (3/6).

GLUMES Glumes persistent (6/6); shorter than spikelet (6/6); thinner than fertile lemma (4/6), or similar to fertile lemma in texture (2/6). Lower glume linear (1/6), or lanceolate (5/6); scarious (6/6); without keels (6/6); 3 -veined (1/1). Lower glume surface without pits (6/6); glabrous (5/6), or pubescent (1/6). Lower glume apex acute (3/6), or acuminate (3/6). Upper glume lanceolate (2/6), or ovate (4/6); scarious (6/6); without keels (6/6); 3 -veined (1/2), or 7 -veined (1/2). Upper glume surface glabrous (5/6), or pubescent (1/6). Upper glume apex acute (3/6), or acuminate (3/6).

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate (6/6); chartaceous (6/6); without keel (6/6); wingless (6/6); 9 -veined (1/3), or 13–14 -veined (1/3), or 15 -veined (2/3). Lemma surface unwrinkled (6/6); without grooves (6/6). Lemma margins eciliate (2/6), or ciliolate (1/6), or ciliate (3/6). Lemma apex acute (3/6), or acuminate (4/6). Palea 0.9–0.95–1 length of lemma; 8 -veined (1/3), or 10 -veined (1/3), or 13 -veined (1/3). Palea keels eciliate (2/6), or ciliate (4/6). Palea apex dentate (1/1); muticous (3/6), or with excurrent keel veins (3/6). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (6/6).

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (6/6); apex unappendaged (6/6).

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

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