Pseudoraphis balansae

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms prostrate; 30–40 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades floating; 2–3 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle 4 cm long.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; appressed; 1 cm long; bearing 1 spikelet, or few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 4 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like; extension 6–9 mm long. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 11–12 -veined; obtuse. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.3 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Paniceae. Henrard 1993.

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