Mnesithea granularis

Veldkamp, J. F., Heidweiller, J., Klaauw, M. A. F. van der, Koning, R. de, Kraaijeveld, A. R., Sosef, M. S. M. & Strucker, R. C. W., 2013, A revision of Mnesithea (Gramineae - Rottboelliinae) in Malesia and Thailand, Blumea 58 (3), pp. 277-292 : 282-283

5. Mnesithea granularis (L.) de Koning & Sosef — Fig. 5

Mnesithea granularis (L.) de Koning & Sosef in Veldkamp (1986) 295. — Cenchrus granularis L. (1771) 575. — Manisuris granularis Naezén (1779) 40, t. 1, f. 4–7; L. (1790) 40, t. 1, f. 1–7; Sw. (1788) 25, isonym. — Tripsacum granulare Raspail (1825) 306. — Hackelochloa granularis Kuntze (1891) 776. — [ Manularis granularis R. Baron (1906) 838, sphalm. for Manisuris ]. — Rytilix granularis Raf. ((1830) 219, comb.not made!)) ex Skeels (1913) 20. — Rottboellia granularis Roberty (1960) 79. — Type: Herb. Linn‚ 1217- 12 (LINN, microfiche IDC).

[ Gramen cyperoides polystachion , spicis ad nodos ex foliorum alis prodeuntibus Sloane (1696) 36; (1707) 120,t. 80,nom.inval. — Voucher:the plate, specimen perhaps in Herb. Sloane, BM].

[ Rytilix glandulosa Raf. (1830) 219, nomen, error for granularis ?].

Manisuris porifera Hack. (1891) 48. — Hackelochloa porifera (Hack.) Rhind (1945) 77. — Type: C.B. Clarke 9752-B (holo W; K).

Plants annual. Culms 0.2–1 m long. Cataphylls absent. Nodes glabrous, puberulous, or setose. Sheaths hairy to setose, margin pilose to ciliate. Ligule 0.6–2 mm long, margin ciliolate. Contra-ligule absent. Blades flat, 2.5–31 cm by 2.5–12 mm, margins pectinate at base, hairy on both sides, glabrous behind the ligule, smooth. Peduncles solitary or paired, glabrous to hairy. Spatheoles 1–3 cm long. Spikes 0.6–3.6 cm by 1.5–2.8 mm. Spikelets paired. Joints 1.4–2.6 mm long, glabrous, smooth. Sessile spikelets 1.5–2.6 mm long (incl. callus), about as long as to longer than the joint. Callus glabrous. Lower glume convex, suborbicular, glabrous, coriaceous, pusticulate, yellowish to greenish yellow, 5–6-nerved, apex rounded, not winged; upper glume concave, ovate-oblong, 1.4–1.8 mm long, glabrous, nerves 3, not anastomosing, margin infolded, apex acute. Lemmas ovate to ovate-oblong, glabrous, apex acute; first lemma epaleate, 1.4–1.7 mm long, 2–3-nerved; second lemma 2-nerved. Paleas 2-nerved, glabrous; second palea ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 0.8–1.1 mm long. Anthers 0.4–0.9 mm long. Pedicel adnate to the joint, 1.6–2.4 mm long, glabrous. Pedicelled spikelets varying from 2 glumes to well-developed with a bisexual floret, laterally to dorso-ventrally flattened, 2.2–4 mm long. Lower glume chartaceous, margins ciliolate, apex winged. Anthers 1.4–1.7 mm long. 2n = 14.

Distribution — Sikkim, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka to N Vietnam, not yet seen from Cambodia, Laos; Thailand (N: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son; NE: Loei, Nong Khai; SE: Chon Buri), China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang), Taiwan; Malesia: Sumatra (widespread), Malay Peninsula (Pahang, once), Singapore (once), Java (all over), Borneo (Sabah, W-, SE Kalimantan), Celebes (Buton, Kendari, Masamba, Muna, Palu, Tondano, Tukang Besi), Philippines (Cebu, Guimaras, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros Oriental), Lesser Sunda Isl. (Alor, Bali, Flores, Sumba, Sumbawa, Timor, Wetar), Moluccas ( Ambon, Buru, Tanimbar, Ternate), New Guinea (Irian Jaya: Jayapura, Vogelkop; Papua New Guinea: Central, Milne Bay, Morobe, New Ireland, E. Highland Prov.).

Habitat — In open place at mountain ridge, open and fireinduced grassland, weed on sandy soil, near the road side, partly shaded areas among bamboo, somewhat disturbed place in the deciduous dipterocarp oak forest, common in evergreen forest, swampy ground, granite bedrock, 0–1450 m altitude.

Notes — Easily recognized by the small, subglobose, pusticulate sessile spikelets , and therefore also generally regarded as representing the distinct genus Hackelochloa , see Veldkamp et al. (1986: 294–295). Noltie (2000) regarded H. porifera as distinct from H. granularis : 1. Lower glume of sessile spikelet to 1.7 mm, shallowly pitted,

ribs between pits broad, rounded. Stipe inconspicuous,

under 0.5 mm, much narrower than upper part. Racemes to 12.5 mm long....................... H. granularis 1. Lower glume of sessile spikelet over 2 mm, deeply pitted,

ribs between pits narrow, sharp. Stipe conspicuous, c. 0.7

mm, almost as broad as upper part, smooth. Racemes over

20 mm long............................ H. porifera However , when viewed over the whole range these characters appear to break down ( Veldkamp et al. 1986: 294). Differs from all congeners by the suborbicular, cancellate lower glume of the 1.5–2.6 mm long sessile spikelet and the 2.2–4 mm long pedicelled spikelet.

Figures

Fig. 5 Mnesithea granularis (L.) de Koning & Sosef.a.Sessile and pedicelled spikelets; b. joint and pedicelled spikelet (all: Verboom 37, L).