Saccharum robustum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; robust; 500–1000 cm long; 20–30 mm diam. Culm-internodes solid; yellow, or mid-green, or purple. Culm-nodes swollen. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 120–200 cm long; 25–70 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 50–90 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous, or puberulous. Panicle branches glabrous, or puberulous.

Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete. Rhachis internodes filiform; 4–7 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 2–3 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 2-keeled; 2 -veined. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; acute. Fertile lemma absent. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; glabrous. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Pacific: southwestern.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Whalen 2003.

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