Saccharum sinense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent. Culms robust; 150–500 cm long; 15–30 mm diam. Culm-internodes solid; white, or yellow, or mid-green. Culm-nodes flush with internodes, or swollen. Leaf-sheaths deciduous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 100–180 cm long; 25–60 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 25–50 cm long. Panicle axis hirsute. Panicle branches hirsute.

Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete. Rhachis internodes filiform.

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 linear; hyaline; 0 -veined. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; glabrous. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Malesia, and Papuasia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Whalen 2003.

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