Xerochloa

HABIT Annual (1), or perennial (2). Rhizomes absent (2), or short (1). Stolons absent (2), or present (1). Culms erect (1), or geniculately ascending, or decumbent (2); 15–36.66–75 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades persistent (2), or deciduous at the ligule (1); filiform (2), or linear.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; deciduous as a whole; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf (1), or enclosed (2). Spatheole elliptic (2), or oblong (1); chartaceous (1), or scarious (2).

Racemes single; unilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each (1). Rhachis flattened (1), or angular (2); terminating in a barren extension; extension flattened (1), or subulate (2). Spikelet packing abaxial (1/1).

Spikelets sunken (1/2), or appressed (1/2); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (2), or ovate (1); dorsally compressed; 5.5–7.966–12 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus glabrous (1/1). Floret callus pilose (1/1).

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear (1), or oblong (1), or ovate (2); hyaline (2), or membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined (2). Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous (2), or woolly (1). Lower glume apex truncate (2), or acute, or acuminate (1). Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong (1); membranous (1), or chartaceous (1), or scarious (1); with undifferentiated margins (2), or membranous margins (1); without keels; 2–4 -veined (1), or 5 -veined (2). Upper glume surface glabrous (2), or villous (1), or woolly (1). Upper glume apex truncate (1), or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (2), or oblong (1), or obovate (1); chartaceous (2), or cartilaginous (1); 3–4 -veined (1), or 5 -veined (2), or 6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined (2); sulcate; obtuse (2), or acute (2), or acuminate (1). Palea of lower sterile floret membranous. Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or ovate (2); cartilaginous; without keel; wingless; 3 -veined (2/2). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex acuminate (1), or caudate (2). Palea not rolled (2), or tightly convolute around flower (1); 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; 2 -veined (2/2); without keels (1), or 2-keeled (2).

FLOWER Anthers 3 (2/2).

DISTRIBUTION Tropical Asia (1), or Australasia.

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