Spodiopogon tainanensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–70 cm long; 1.5–2 mm diam.; 8–15 -noded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades linear to lanceolate; 6–10 cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or oblong; 6–12 cm long; 1.8–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; whorled at most nodes; 2–4 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches capillary; smooth.

Racemes bearing few fertile spikelets; 2–6 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes 3–4 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 2.5–3 mm long; ciliate; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; 1 mm wide; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs 1 mm long; 0.2–0.25 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; pallid; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; with membranous margins; pallid; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.7–4 mm long; hyaline. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 7–10 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea lanceolate; 0.9 length of lemma; hyaline; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.7–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Koyama.

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