Ampelocalamus melicoideus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 200–300 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by bracts. Spatheole glumaceous; 1.5 cm long.

Racemes 1; single; 3–4 cm long; bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; 8–10 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes flattened; 1–1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; herbaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; herbaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; herbaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 10–12 mm long; 10 -veined. Palea apex truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Keng 2002.

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