Molinia japonica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 30–120 cm long; 2–5 mm diam.; swollen at the base; forming an elongated corm. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.1 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 20–80 cm long; 2–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or elliptic; 10–40 cm long; 3–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–3 -nate; 8–20 cm long. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 8–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas. Floret callus bearded; truncate. Floret callus hairs 1–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3–4.7 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–5.2 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 4–6.7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, China, and eastern Asia.

NOTES Arundineae. Koyama.

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