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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Phacelurus zea

HABIT Perennial. Culms 150–200 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 50–100 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib widened. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; 30–60; borne along a central axis; simply spaced, or in several whorls; 5–15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 25–40 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; glabrous on surface. Rhachis internodes oblong, or cuneate; 4 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; flat. Raceme-bases linear; 20–50 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 1.2–2 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; laterally compressed; 3.4–3.8 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus indistinct. Companion sterile spikelet glumes keeled. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged all along; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface flat; scabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 2 -veined. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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