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.

Germainia pilosa

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths pilose. Culms 5–15 cm long; 5–10 -noded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–2 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; 0.6–0.7 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis obsolete (raceme capitate).

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 1–1.3 mm long; ciliate; hairy above.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; dorsally compressed; 4.5–6.5 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 7–9 -veined (lower); erose; truncate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1; enclosed by glumes; 4–5 mm long; entire; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 4.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus linear; 1 mm long; pilose; base pungent; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs red.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 1.2 length of upper glume; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 30–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 10–25 mm long; pubescent. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 2–3.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Chaianan.

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