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.

Elytrostachys typica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; 500–1500 cm long; 40–80 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Branch complement many; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths hispid; with white hairs; without auricles; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high. Culm-sheath blade linear; reflexed; 4–7 cm long; hispid; attenuate. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; erect; dark. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Collar without external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 6–18 cm long; 13–32 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface hispid; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; scanty (oblong); 2–2.5 cm long; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 15–20 mm long; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 14–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret, or elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation slender; 1–6 mm long; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 10–14 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 13 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 14–18 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 19 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous; 6 -veined. Palea keels approximate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; linear; 2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veined. Anthers 6; 8 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Pohl.

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