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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Chionachne cyathopoda
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; reed-like; 200–300 cm long. Culm-internodes channelled. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves cauline. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 40–60 cm long; 10–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; spinulose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed.
Racemes 1; single; 6–12 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis fragile at the nodes. Rhachis internodes linear; bearing a sterile companion laterally. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform.
Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male above. Spikelets embracing internode; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in a cluster. Pedicels of companion sterile spikelets fused to internode; united wholly.
STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary; 1 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 15 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate; with central peg; attached transversely.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 15 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; indurate; pallid; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged above. Lower glume surface not waisted. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; cartilaginous. Upper glume apex cuspidate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; hyaline. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–12 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–5 mm long.
MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; with pedicels fused to rhachis; 2 flowered; lanceolate; 12 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 0–3 -veined.
DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Andropogoneae. Tothill.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
