Dinochloa darvelana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; 10–15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 35–40 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; with 1 branch dominant; as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths 10–13 cm long; purple; glabrous; hairy on margins; auriculate; with 6 mm high auricles; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high; entire, or dentate. Culm-sheath blade ovate; erect; 10–14 cm long; 40 mm wide; glabrous on surface; acuminate. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–23 cm long; 15–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in compact unilateral clumps; glabrous on internodes, or pubescent on internodes; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches; 200 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular; 2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea orbicular; involute; coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 5–9 mm long; glabrous. Endosperm evanescent.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Dransfield 2002.

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