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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Phragmites japonicus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Stolons present (zigzag, nodes hirsute). Culms erect; reed-like; 100–200 cm long; 4–5 mm diam. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.2–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 10–30 cm long; 20–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 20–30 cm long; 5–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches profusely divided; naked below. Panicle axis puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 6–7 mm long; ciliate; with 1–2 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.75 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 5.5 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; elliptic; 6–10 mm long; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 3–7 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1–3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3 (2 in sterile floret).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

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

NOTES Arundineae. Fl China 2001.

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