Miscanthus junceus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 100–300 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades terete; 50–100 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; elliptic; 20–50 cm long.

Racemes 2–10 cm long. Rhachis tough; subterete. Rhachis internodes filiform; 3–5 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 0.2–0.3 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; villous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 0.9 length of spikelet; hyaline; 1 -veined; without lateral veins; ciliolate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1–2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 2–10 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FZ.

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