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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Saccharum velutinum

HABIT Perennial. Culms rambling; robust; 200–300 cm long; 5–6 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths 13–13.5 cm long; striately veined; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; pilose on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–30 cm long; 20–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 25 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes. Panicle axis pubescent.

Racemes bearing few fertile spikelets; 2 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete. Rhachis internodes clavate. Rhachis internode tip with hairy rim.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels clavate; puberulous; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs white; 5–6.5 mm long; 2 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface puberulous; hairy below. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 2.5 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined; dentate; 2 -fid. Fertile lemma linear; 2.2 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6.2 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea lanceolate; 1.8 mm long; hyaline. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.8 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gilliland 1997.

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