GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Stephanachne nigrescens

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 90 cm long; 2 mm diam.; 4 -noded. Culm-internodes 12–23 cm long. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–5 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades erect; flat, or involute; 15–20 cm long; 5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted; 7–9 cm long; 1.2 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1–4 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume linear; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; 12–16 mm long; 1.3–1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; with a transverse fringe of hair. Lemma hairs 4–5 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; with lobes 4 mm long; incised 0.3–0.4 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 12–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2–4 mm long. Palea 7–8 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 3 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.6 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Duthieeae. Keng.

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