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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Dichanthium mucronulatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–75 cm long; wiry. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades tapering towards sheath; 15–30 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 2.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; without a translucent median line; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number; male; elliptic; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; lemmas awnless.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; elliptic; 3.8 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 9 -veined; dentate; 3 -fid. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1; enclosed by glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 3.6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 0.5 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged near apex; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface convex; glabrous. Lower glume margins eciliate. Lower glume apex dentate; 3 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 2.4 mm long; hyaline; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma linear; 2.6 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical, or from a sinus; geniculate; 15–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gilliland.

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