Kerriochloa

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 20–25 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole linear; herbaceous.

Racemes single. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened. Rhachis internodes cuneate. Rhachis internode tip cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; persistent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface without pits; villous. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; membranous; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.3 of lemma length; awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate. Palea 0.8 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; isodiametric. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Tropical Asia.

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