Schizachyrium delavayi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–120 cm long. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled; pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 8–25 cm long; 3–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; exserted. Spatheole linear; 2–3 cm long; herbaceous; red.

Racemes 1; single; 2–3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate; 2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile spikelet. Rhachis internode tip crateriform; with scarious rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels clavate; 2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of internode; ciliate; hairy all along but hairs longer above.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; keeled sharply; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; glabrous. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 5 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; ciliolate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma linear; 4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8–10 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long.

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

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Assam 1993.

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