Miscanthus paniculatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 30–50 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths loose; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.8–1.2 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades 10–40 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; pilose; hairy abaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 -nate; 2–6 cm long.

Racemes bearing few fertile spikelets; 2–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis tough.

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; 5–6 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pilose; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5–2 mm long; 0.1–0.3 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume surface flat; smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous. Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex entire; mucronate. Palea 0.5 length of lemma.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Sun 2004.

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