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Descriptions

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

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

Semiarundinaria fastuosa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 500–800 cm long; 20–40 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes channelled; hollow; 10–30 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three; in a horizontal line; with subequal branches, or 3 branches dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous; coriaceous; pubescent; hairy at the base; without auricles; glabrous on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade linear. Leaves cauline; 3–7 per branch. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 18–24 cm long; 15–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; fasciculate; 3–5 cm long; lax; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 20–40 mm long; without axillary buds at base of spikelet; with ultimate bract subtending a compact bracteolate fascicle of spikelets; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 50–100 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 15–17 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7–11 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 6 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 3.5 mm long; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; 9–10 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, China, and eastern Asia. Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Lin.

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