Pseudosclerochloa kengiana

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths glabrous, or sparsely hairy. Culms 10–60 cm long; 2 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; 7–9 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; keeled; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 8–15 cm long; 2.5–4 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; linear; 6–12 cm long; 0.5–0.9 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; 1–2.5 cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2–2.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Keng 1995.

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