Tripogon rupestris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery; withering, or persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 10–35 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 4–12 cm long; 0.8–1.2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; flexuous; unilateral; 5–20 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 1 their length apart.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.3–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; asymmetrical; 2.2–3 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex with a unilateral tooth; acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 3.2–5 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.4–3 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse to acuminate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 5–9 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on outer edge of lobes; 1.5–3.5 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.9 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Phillips & Chen 2003.

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