GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Miscanthus fuscus

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; reed-like; 100–300 cm long. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 2 mm long; brown; pilose on abaxial surface; obtuse. Leaf-blades 25–150 cm long; 4–40 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib widened. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; ascending, or drooping; 6–16 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15–60 cm long; pubescent. Rhachis tough; pubescent on surface. Rhachis internodes filiform. Raceme-bases brief; pilose; hairy at base.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; angular; unequal; 1–2.5 mm long; glabrous; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 0.5 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 2–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface flat; glabrous. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; ciliolate on margins; fringed above; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex muticous. Palea present, or absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

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

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Assam 1993.

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