Sarocalamus faberi

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–5 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 15 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 20–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes clavate; 4–6 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–2 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–7 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 12–14 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 7–8 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Rendle 2002.

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