Oligostachyum shiuyingianum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms 400–600 cm long; 10–20 mm diam. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three. Culm-sheaths deciduous; brown; hispid; truncate at apex; without auricles; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; erect. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 12–20 cm long; 8–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bearing few fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–13 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 30–80 mm long; 4.5–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 7–9 mm long; chartaceous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 15–17 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 13 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 12–14 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Chia & But 2002.

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