Chimonocalamus griffithianus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 300–1000 cm long; 25–35 mm diam.; woody; with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; 18–25 cm long; dark green. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; in an irregular line; with subequal branches. Culm-sheaths 15–25 cm long; 1.5–1.8 times as long as wide; chartaceous; pubescent; hairy throughout and at the base; with tawny hairs; hairy on margins; convex at apex; auriculate. Culm-sheath ligule fimbriate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; 0.5–2.5 cm long; pubescent; acute. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; linear, or lanceolate; 10–13 cm long; 8–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 8–10 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 25–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes flattened; clavate; 5–7 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas; pilose; hairy at tip.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 5 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface scabrous; puberulous. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex setaceously attenuate. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex dentate; 1 -fid; with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Gamble 1995.

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