Bashania fargesii

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 7–12 cm long; 10–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 15 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; 6–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 15 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 15–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes clavate; pubescent; hairy all along but hairs longer above.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 7–9 mm long; chartaceous; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous; inner surface pilose. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea apex emarginate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; glabrous, or ciliate. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. McClure 2002.

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