Cymbopogon liangshanensis

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 50–110 cm long; 1.5 mm diam.; 4–6 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib. Leaf-blades 20–30 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; grey-green; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; paniculate; 30–40 cm long; lax. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole elliptic; 2–2.5 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; erect; 1.5–1.8 cm long; bearing 3–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; pilose on surface. Rhachis hairs lengthening towards internode tip; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 0.75 length of fertile spikelet. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform. Raceme-bases linear; subequal.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; 0.75 length of fertile spikelet; ciliate; hairy all along but hairs longer above; with 0.5–1.5 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets absent, or rudimentary; 0–1 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas; lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.7–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct; 2–4 in number. Lower glume surface concave. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 13–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Phillips & Peng 2006.

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