Ochlandra wightii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths striately veined. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; deciduous. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 25 mm long; acute. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.5–0.8 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 25–50 cm long; 40–75 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 20–26 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in stellate clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets. Spikelets ovate; subterete; 25–40 mm long; 7–10 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 3–4 gemmiferous bracts; 3–4 empty glumes; similar; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 20 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; mucronate.

FLOWER Lodicules 1; lanceolate; 12–16 mm long; membranous; veined; truncate. Anthers 40–60; anther tip apiculate. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 5. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1996.

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