Dinochloa scabrida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms zigzag; 20 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 20–25 cm long; smooth. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with 1 branch dominant; as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths purple; smooth; glabrous. Culm-sheath ligule 2 mm high; entire. Culm-sheath blade triangular; cordate; erect; 8.5–10.5 cm long; 25 mm wide; glabrous on surface; acuminate. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 12–25 cm long; 15–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins pubescent. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in oblong clusters; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches; 300 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

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

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblate; 1.5 mm long; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblate; 2 mm long; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular; 2.3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex truncate. Palea involute; 3 mm long; coriaceous; 8 -veined; without keels.

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

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

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Dransfield 1995.

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