Tripogon sichuanicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 1–10 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 5–13 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 0.5–0.66 their length apart.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; symmetrical; 2.1–2.7 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 3.5–4.3 mm long; membranous; with scarious margins; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein thickened. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 2.8–3 mm long; membranous; dark green (olive); without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; truncate, or obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight; 1.8–3.3 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels wingless; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.3 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.