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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.
Cleistochloa sclerachne
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long; wiry; 8–14 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades 4.5–12 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; smooth, or scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes 1; single; paucilateral; 1–2.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis angular (subtriquetrous); scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; lax.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.4–1 mm long; scaberulous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; subacute; 4.3–4.6 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate.
GLUMES Glumes two; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.8 mm long; 0.05 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate, or acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; scarious; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 5–7 -veined; glabrous, or villous; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4.1–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface granulose; with distinct germination flap. Lemma margins flat; exposing palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.
FLOWER Anthers 3.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.
CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.
DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Paniceae. Webster.
ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Cleistogenes terminating leafy axillary branches.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
