Gelidocalamus tessellatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades oblong; 18–23 cm long; 23–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 13–20 cm long; 8–14 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–7 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; subterete; 6–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veinless. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Wen & Zhang 2002.

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