Arundinella nepalensis Trin. |
Common name
Reedgrass
Derivation
Arundinella Raddi, Agrost. Bras. 36 (1823); diminutive of the
Latin arundo (a reed), alluding to the thin reedy habit.
nepalensis- from the Latin -ense, denoting origin, from Nepal.
Published in
Gram. Pan. 62 (1826).
Habit
Perennial, tufted. Rhizomes short, scaly. Young shoots extravaginal. Culms erect,
180 cm tall, 1.55 mm diam., 25-noded. Mid-culm nodes pubescent.
Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous
on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades straight,
flat, 840 cm long, 310 mm wide, coriaceous, rigid. Leaf-blade surface
glabrous or pilose. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse,
hardened.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle, bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence,
exserted. Panicle open, lanceolate or pyramidal, 540 cm long, contracted
about primary branches. Panicle branches angular, scaberulous.
Spikelets
Spikelets in pairs, one sessile and fertile and the other (companion) spikelet
pedicelled. Pedicels filiform, angular, 26 mm long. Fertile spikelets
2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate,
laterally compressed, 47 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating
below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded, obtuse, hairs 2030%
of length of lemma.
Glumes
Glumes persistent, dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma, gaping. Lower glume
ovate, 35 mm long, 6090% length of upper glume, membranous,
1-keeled, 35-nerved. Lower glume apex acute or acuminate or setaceously
acuminate. Upper glume ovate, 1520% of length of adjacent fertile
lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 5-nerved, midnerve scabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Florets
Basal sterile floret 1, with palea, persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower
sterile floret similar to upper glume, ovate, 4.5 mm long, 100% of length
of spikelet, membranous, 1-keeled, 35-nerved, acute. Palea of lower sterile
floret 4 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate, dorsally compressed, lanceolate in profile,
23 mm long, coriaceous, dark brown, 35-nerved. Lemma lateral nerves
obscure. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins involute, interlocking with
palea keels. Lemma apex dentate or lobed, 2-fid, 1-awned. Median (principal)
awn from a sinus, geniculate, 46 mm long overall, with a twisted column.
Palea lanceolate, with auriculate flaps, 100% of length of lemma, coriaceous,
2-nerved. Palea surface asperulous. Palea apex dentate, 2-fid. Lodicules 2,
cuneate, fleshy. Anthers 3, 1.72.5 mm long. Stigmas 2, protandrous, laterally
exserted. Grain with adherent pericarp, oblong, 1.6 mm long. Hilum punctiform.
Endosperm farinose.
Continental Distribution:
Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia.
Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales.
Western Australia: Gardner, Fitzgerald, Hall, Dampier. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland. Queensland: Cook, Burke, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Port Curtis, Leichhardt, Burnett, Wide Bay, Darling Downs, Moreton, Gregory North, Mitchell, Warrego, Maranoa. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, Northern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains.
Classification. (GPWG
2001):
Panicoideae: Arundinelleae
Notes
Native. Tropical Africa, Madagascar, India to China and Australia (tropical
W.A., N.T. and Qld and subtropical Qld and N.S.W.). Savanna woodlands of tropics
and subtropics, particularly in wetter areas. Flowers year round.
Inflorescence and detail of inflorescence (scanned specimen)
© Queensland Herbarium
by D. Sharp