Yushania rigidula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths reticulately veined. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 8–10 cm long; 15–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8–10 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2.5–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; herbaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 2 mm wide; herbaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Camus 2002.

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