Tripogon yunnanensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 25–33 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2.5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 9–15 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 1 their length apart.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–17 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; (8.5–)10–22 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; asymmetrical; 1.5–3.5 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; 4–5.5 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 3.3–4.5 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 2.5–4 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 1; 1.4–2 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.