Dinochloa dielsiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; zigzag; 2000–2500 cm long; 25 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–20 cm long; 20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in stellate clusters; dense; 2–4 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches; 100–200 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 2 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblate; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular; 4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex cuspidate. Palea orbicular; involute; coriaceous; 9 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp. Endosperm evanescent.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Pilger 2002.

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