Schizostachyum alopecurus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 7 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 15 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–40 cm long; 35 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 19 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2 mm long overall. Palea tightly convolute around flower; chartaceous; without keels. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; awns 1 mm long. Rhachilla extension 4 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 6 mm long; anther tip with extended connective and pubescent. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 3. Styles 16–17 mm long. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp; oblong.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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