Scrotochloa urceolata

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes hollow. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades inverted; elliptic; 15–25 cm long; 40–60 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation slanting obliquely from midrib; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–12 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 3–6 -nate; whorled at most nodes; 6–14 cm long. Panicle branches stiff; straight; angular; pubescent; with hooked hairs.

Sexes mixed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster; on shorter pedicels than sterile. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform (male), or cuneate (female).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; urceolate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume obovate; 0.8 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent; with hooked hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume obovate; 4–6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 2-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface pubescent; with hooked hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma obovate; 4–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 13 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; with hooked hairs. Lemma margins closed except for an apical pore; covering most of palea. Lemma apex rostrate. Palea linear; 1.1 length of lemma. Palea surface pubescent; with hooked hairs.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 3 mm long. Stigmas 3; terminally exserted; plumose. Styles connate below.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side.

MALE Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 3–4 mm long. Male spikelet glumes 2.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Phareae. WDC.

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