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.

Arundinella purpurea

HABIT Perennial. Culms 40–85 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths pilose, or hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate, or oblong; 10–20 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence. Peduncle scaberulous above; pilose above.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; dense; 4–20 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Panicle axis hispid. Panicle branches hispid.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins; glabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; 2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 1.5 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 3 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1 mm long. Palea with auriculate flaps; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface asperulous; pubescent; hairy on back; hairy above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.75–1.25 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Bor 1993.

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