Microstegium glaberrimum

HABIT Perennial. Culms 20–30 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2 cm long; 3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus glabrous; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove; scabrous; rough above. Upper glume elliptic; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; acuminate. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: eastern Asia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Honda 1996.

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