Arundinella furva

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 75–95 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades ascending; 5.5–10.5 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–16 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster, or 2 in the cluster. Pedicels angular; 1–3 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.5–1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 5–6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 5–6 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. 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; 3–4 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea with auriculate flaps; 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface asperulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Chase 1997.

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