Chionachne gigantea

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 25–60 cm long; 6–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Synflorescence compound; paniculate. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole lanceolate; 1–2 cm long; scarious.

Racemes 1; single; 2.5–4 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each (and 4–8 male spikelets). Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete. Rhachis internodes linear; bearing a sterile companion laterally. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform.

Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male above. Spikelets embracing internode; solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 0–1 in the cluster. Male spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 1–2 in a cluster. Pedicels fused to internode; united wholly.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets absent, or rudimentary; shorter than fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 4–6 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; shiny. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; indurate; pallid; without keels. Lower glume surface not waisted. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; membranous. Upper glume margins ciliate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 3–5 -veined. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex truncate. Palea hyaline; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 5–7 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male spikelets distinct from female; with pedicels fused to rhachis; 6–8.5 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2. Male spikelet lemma 3–5 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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