Dinochloa malayana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms zigzag; 7–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen, or solid; 10–20 cm long; antrorsely scabrous; distally hispid. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; with 1 branch dominant; as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths 7–9 cm long; purple; antrorsely scabrous; hispid; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule entire. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; erect, or reflexed; 2–5 cm long; 5 mm wide; pubescent; attenuate. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 6–20 cm long; 15–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; glabrous on internodes, or hispidulous on internodes; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches; 110 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblate. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblate. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex truncate. Palea involute; coriaceous; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; smooth; glabrous. Endosperm evanescent.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Dransfield 1995.

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