Sinochasea trigyna

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 45 cm long; 1.5 mm diam. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 6.6–16 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 7–8.5 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–3 cm long; bearing 4–7 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.6–5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 1.4–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma hairs 2 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes; incised 0.3 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea lanceolate; 0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface villous. Palea apex dentate. Rhachilla extension 0.2 length of fertile floret; glabrous, or pilose.

FLOWER Lodicules 2, or 3; lanceolate; membranous; acuminate. Anthers 3; 1 mm long. Stigmas 3. Styles free to the base. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Duthieeae. WDC.

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