Indocalamus tessellatus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; zigzag; 400–500 cm long; 10–15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three; in a clump. Leaves cauline; 2–3 per branch. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades oblong; 30–47 cm long; 60–100 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acuminate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Index Jap. Bam. 2001.

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