GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Gelidocalamus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 76–259.3–780 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes flush with internodes (2/4), or swollen (2/4). Lateral branches suffrutescent (11/11). Branch complement three (2/9), or several (5/9), or many (5/9). Culm-sheaths persistent (4/8), or deciduous (4/8); without auricles (9/11), or auriculate (2/11). Culm-sheath blade linear (9/11), or lanceolate (3/11), or triangular (1/11). Ligule an eciliate membrane (10), or a ciliolate membrane (2). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear (1), or lanceolate (11), or oblong (8), or ovate (1). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (2), or with distinct cross veins (10).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (3/3).

Panicle open (3/3).

Spikelets solitary (3/3). Fertile spikelets pedicelled (3/3).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets (1/3), or 3–4 fertile florets (3/3), or 5 fertile florets (2/3); with diminished florets at the apex (3/3). Spikelets lanceolate (2/3), or oblong (1/3); subterete (3/3); 5–8.333–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity (3/3); disarticulating below each fertile floret (3/3). Rhachilla internodes definite (3/3); glabrous (2/3), or pubescent (1/3).

GLUMES Glumes persistent (3/3); shorter than spikelet (3/3). Lower glume lanceolate (3/3); chartaceous (1/1); without keels (1/1); 1 -veined (1/1). Lower glume lateral veins absent (1/3), or distinct (2/3). Lower glume surface without pits (3/3). Lower glume apex acuminate (1/1). Upper glume lanceolate (3/3); chartaceous (1/1); without keels (1/1); 5 -veined (1/1). Upper glume apex acuminate (1/1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (3/3); chartaceous (3/3); without keel (3/3); wingless (3/3); 5 -veined (1/2), or 7 -veined (1/2). Lemma surface unwrinkled (3/3); without grooves (3/3). Lemma apex acuminate (2/2). Palea 1–1.033–1.1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (1/3), or distinct from fertile (2/3).

FLOWER Lodicules 3 (3/3); glabrous (2/3), or ciliate (1/3). Anthers 3 (3/3). Stigmas 1 (1/3), or 2 (3/3). Ovary glabrous (2/2).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (1/1); obovoid (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia.

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