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Descriptions

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

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

Germainia tenax

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 15–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–4 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2(–3); paired, or digitate; linear; 1–2 cm long; bearing many spikelets; bearing 6–14 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis internodes filiform; 1 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.2–4.5 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 5(–6) -veined (lower); erose; truncate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1–2; enclosed by glumes; 3.2–4.5 mm long; entire; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus brief; pilose; base obtuse. Spikelet callus hairs dark brown.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 2.2–2.7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; 0.9 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume hairs dark brown. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.5–3 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume hairs dark brown. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong, or ovate; 2.2–2.7 mm long; hyaline; entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 3–4.7 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1.9–2.5 mm long; pubescent. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.2 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Chaianan.

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