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, 1.5–5 mm diam., 2–5-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, 8–40 cm long, 3–10 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, 5–40 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, 2–6 mm long. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 4–7 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded, obtuse, hairs 20–30% of length of lemma.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma, gaping. Lower glume ovate, 3–5 mm long, 60–90% length of upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 3–5-nerved. Lower glume apex acute or acuminate or setaceously acuminate. Upper glume ovate, 15–20% 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, 3–5-nerved, acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 4 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate, dorsally compressed, lanceolate in profile, 2–3 mm long, coriaceous, dark brown, 3–5-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, 4–6 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, 1.7–2.5 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.

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