Arundinella birmanica

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; robust; 20–35 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 15–27 cm long; 7–14 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle open; elliptic; 5–15 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 2–4 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous; with scattered hairs. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1–2 in the cluster. Pedicels scabrous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; recurved at apex and gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 3–3.25 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–4.75 mm long; 2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex caudate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2.5 mm long. Palea with auriculate flaps; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface asperulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.75–1 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Bor 1993.

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