Kuruna scandens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 700–800 cm long; 10–15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; distally hirsute. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Branch complement several; in a clump; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; brown, or purple; pilose; with appressed hairs; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 1.7 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; deciduous; spreading; 10–12 cm long; 2.5 mm wide; scabrid; acute. Leaves 0 per branch (not in complements). Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; erose. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.05 cm long. Leaf-blades oblong; 6–9 cm long; 16–23 mm wide; mid-green, or mid-green and glaucous; concolorous, or discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 6–7 cm long; 6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches stiff; glabrous; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 10–20 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 3–5 mm long; pubescent; hairy above.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.7–3.6 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.9–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume inner surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 6.3–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma inner surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 7 -veined. Palea keels winged. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.6–1.7 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 3; 5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Sod & Ellis 1995.

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