Mullerochloa moreheadiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 500–700 cm long; 15–30 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen, or solid; 20–30 cm long; distally hispid. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several. Culm-sheaths hispid; with appressed hairs; with tawny hairs. Culm-sheath blade linear; reflexed; 6–7 cm long. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 17–30 cm long; 15–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 12–14 secondary veins. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 1–1.5 cm long; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters; 20–30 cm long overall.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; subterete; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes two. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 3 mm long. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3 mm long; without keel; 7 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Bambuseae. WDC 2002.

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