Yushania perrieri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 400–700 cm long; 50–80 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 9–10 cm long; 5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes clavate; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long; herbaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5 mm long; herbaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 12 mm long; herbaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 9–10 mm long. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Camus 2002.

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