Melica taylorii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 60–65 cm long; 0.5–1.2 mm diam. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaves cauline; 6 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 12–18 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 17–23 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 18–25 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 14 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–4 mm long; scabrous; ciliate; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6.8–7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity. Rhachilla internodes 2.2–2.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.8–5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.2–6 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner above; purple; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex emarginate. Palea 4.2–4.8 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea apex ciliate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong; 1.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Meliceae. Hempel 1996.

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