Coelorachis khasiana

HABIT Perennial. Culms 180–250 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 60–130 cm long; 20–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; fastigiate. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; exserted. Spatheole linear; 2–3 cm long. Peduncle nodding (capillary); widened at apex.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 2.5–3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; glabrous on surface. Rhachis internodes clavate; 2–3.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets sunken; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to internode; united below; columnar; semiterete; tip cupuliform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary, or well-developed; comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas, or male; lanceolate; laterally compressed; 1–3 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes winged on keels. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4 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 oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; winged on keel; winged above. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface smooth, or muricate, or cancellate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

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

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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