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Descriptions

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

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

Himalayacalamus hookerianus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 500–900 cm long; 17–36 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 15–20 cm long; glaucous; distally pruinose. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Culm-sheaths 30–40 cm long; 4 times as long as wide; chartaceous; truncate at apex. Culm-sheath ligule 3–5 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade linear; 7–15 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; acute. Collar dark; with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 15–30 cm long; 12–36 mm wide; glaucous; glandular. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 8–16 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform; antrorsely scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence on a separate leafless culm. Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by bracts.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 2–3 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 5 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scabrous; rough between veins. Palea 2 -veined. Palea apex ciliate. Apical sterile florets distinct from fertile; 1 in number; rudimentary.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 7.5 mm long; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Gamble 1995.

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