Coelorachis rottboellioides

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 200–300 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 8–20 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; fastigiate; 15–35 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole linear. Peduncle widened at apex.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 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 columnar; semiterete; 3.5 mm long; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; ovate; 3–4 mm long; as long as fertile. 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 ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4.5 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; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged broadly; winged above. Lower glume primary vein spinulose. Lower glume surface smooth. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma elliptic; hyaline; without keel.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gardner 1994.

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