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.

Arundinella blephariphylla

HABIT Annual. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades 15–35 cm long; 10–25 mm wide; membranous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle open; ovate; 12 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches bearing approximate spikelets.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 2.75 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 1.75 mm long; coriaceous; light brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex entire; obtuse; muticous. Palea with auriculate flaps; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above; with turgid hairs.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Bor 1993.

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