Dinochloa scandens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; zigzag; 15–25 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with 1 branch dominant; as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (girdle rugose); auriculate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; 8 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 25–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 0.3 cm long; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblate; 1.8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma apex cuspidate. Palea orbicular; involute; 1.2 length of lemma; coriaceous; 8 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 4 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp; orbicular; 5 mm long. Endosperm evanescent.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gilliland.

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