Arundinella vaginata

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Butt sheaths villous. Culms erect; 30–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally hirsute. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades involute, or convolute; 20–40 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; hirsute; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

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

Panicle contracted; linear; 15 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 3 cm long. Panicle axis villous. Panicle branches bearing congested spikelets; villous.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6.5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.9–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume elliptic; 6.5–7 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex caudate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; scabrous; rough at apex and on midvein; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3.5 mm long; coriaceous; 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; 5.5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Palea with auriculate flaps; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface asperulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.5–2.25 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Bor 1993.

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