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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Drepanostachyum polystachyum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; woody. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement with subequal branches. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; obtuse. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 15–20 cm long; 17–25 mm wide; glandular. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 10 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially, or on both sides; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.

Panicle open; lanceolate. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 12–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes clavate; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 5–7 mm long; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 5–7 mm long; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy at apex. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea 5 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; anther tip apiculate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 12 mm long; apex unappendaged. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Gamble 1995.

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