Germainia truncatiglumis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 100–150 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–50 cm long; 2–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–6; digitate; 5–12 cm long. Rhachis angular; ciliate on margins.

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

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; elliptic; dorsally compressed; 5–6.5 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; 7 -veined; setose on margins; entire, or dentate; truncate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3.2–4 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus cuneate; 0.5 mm long; base acute; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.2–4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy above. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume hairs white. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblong; chartaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 15–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn ciliate. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Chaianan.

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