Tripogon longearistatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; slender; 20–30 cm long; 0.8–1 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 4–15 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless throughout.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 10–15 cm long; bearing 7–15 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns 1 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Koyama 1994.

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