Orinus kokonorica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 8–15 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–4.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4.5 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy at base. Lemma margins villous. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Hao 1996.

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