Gelidocalamus multifolius

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 150 cm long; 10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 10–26 cm long; mid-green; distally pubescent. Culm-sheaths green; pubescent; hairy at the base; without auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with straight hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high; purple; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; reflexed; glabrous on surface. Leaves cauline; 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–14 cm long; 15–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 10–15 cm long; 5–7 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate. Upper glume lanceolate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; obovate; ciliate. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis obovoid; 3 mm long; grey.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Fl China 2006.

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