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Descriptions

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

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

Semiarundinaria sinica

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 400–500 cm long; 10–15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes channelled; hollow; 10–15 cm long; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three; in a horizontal line. Culm-sheaths deciduous; coriaceous; pilose; glabrous on margins; auriculate; ciliate on shoulders; shoulders with 4 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule entire. Culm-sheath blade linear; erect. Leaves cauline; 2–3 per branch. Leaf-sheaths 3.5–4 cm long; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; erect; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9–16 cm long; 14–22 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8–10 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; fasciculate; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 25 mm long; without axillary buds at base of spikelet; with ultimate bract subtending a compact bracteolate fascicle of spikelets; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 55–60 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 17–18 mm long; 6 mm wide; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins without cross-veins. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 14 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Wen 2002.

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