Dinochloa nicobariana

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 25–30 cm long; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Culm-sheaths deciduous; pubescent; with white hairs. Culm-sheath blade triangular; as wide as sheath at base. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–12 cm long; 6–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8–10 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 2.5–3.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 2.5–3.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea orbicular; involute; 2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp. Endosperm evanescent.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Seeth. & Kumar 2002.

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