GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Germainia thailandica

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–2 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 2; paired; oblong; 1–1.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis subterete; glabrous on margins.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; terete; 1–1.5 mm long; tip discoid.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; oblong; 3.5–4.5 mm long; as long as fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; distinctly veined; 7–9 -veined; dentate (3–4 teeth); truncate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1–2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 4–4.3 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume hairs yellow. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume elliptic; 2.8–3.2 mm long; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume hairs yellow. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1–1.7 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; acute. Fertile lemma linear; 2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 25–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn hirtellous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; biconvex. Embryo 0.75 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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