Microstegium butuoense

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; slender; 35 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 9.6 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or elliptic; 0.7–2 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 2–3.5 cm long. Rhachis tough; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 1.5 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 4.5 mm long.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5.2–6 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5–1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely; 4–5 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; glabrous. Lower glume apex emarginate, or truncate. Upper glume elliptic; 5.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6–9 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 1 mm long. Palea apex ciliate.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Liu & Peng 2011.

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