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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.
Hemarthria pratensis
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath.
Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 10–20 cm long. Rhachis fracturing into irregular segments; flattened; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes oblong; 3–4 mm long; adherent to upper glume of sessile spikelet. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat.
Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to internode; united wholly; oblong; flattened; 3–4 mm long; tip rectangular.
STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet callus truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; acuminate. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; glabrous; base truncate; attached obliquely.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly; 7 -veined. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3.5–4 mm long; hyaline; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea absent or minute.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 4 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Papuasia.
NOTES Andropogoneae. Reeder 1993.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
