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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.
Cleistogenes caespitosa
HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Culms erect; 30–40 cm long; 1 mm diam.; 7–8 -noded. Culm-internodes similar in length. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tight; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode, or longer than adjacent culm internode; smooth. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2–3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; involute; 2.5–10 cm long; 1.5–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.8–2.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–6 cm long. Spikelet packing lax.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–3 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.6–1.8 mm long; pubescent; hairy at tip. Floret callus pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.4 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.8–5.3 mm long; 1.6 mm wide; membranous; keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex entire; truncate, or obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.4–0.8 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.8–2 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.
DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.
NOTES Eragrostideae. Conert.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
