Dinochloa palawanensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 100–200 cm long; 8 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 10–20 cm long. Culm-nodes swollen. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths striately veined. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.2 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–15 cm long; 7–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation indistinct; with 8–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafy between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; acute; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 2–3 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea tightly convolute around flower; 1 length of lemma; chartaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 4 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1996.

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