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.

Scrotochloa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short (1), or elongated (1). Culms erect (1), or geniculately ascending (1); 20–38.75–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes (1/1). Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades linear (1), or elliptic (1). Leaf-blade venation slanting obliquely from midrib; with distinct cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes (1); deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes.

Racemes borne along a central axis (1/1); spreading (1/1). Spikelet packing lax (1/1).

Sexes mixed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets pedicelled; 1 in a cluster. Pedicels filiform, or cuneate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; urceolate; laterally compressed; 3.32–4.53–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate (1), or obovate (1); 0.8–0.9–1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 1 -veined (1), or 7–9 -veined (1). Lower glume lateral veins absent (1), or distinct (1). Lower glume surface without pits; pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate (1), or obovate (1); 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels (1), or 2-keeled (1); 1 -veined (1), or 7 -veined (1). Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins (1/1). Upper glume surface pubescent; with hooked hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma obovate; coriaceous; without keel; wingless; 13 -veined (1/1). Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; pubescent; with hooked hairs. Lemma margins closed except for an apical pore; covering most of palea. Lemma apex rostrate. Palea 1.1 length of lemma. Palea surface pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

MALE Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; lanceolate (1/1). Male spikelet glumes 2.

DISTRIBUTION Tropical Asia, or Australasia.

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