Germainia thorelii A.Camus

Teerawatananon, A., Sungkaew, S., Boontia, V. & Hodkinson, T. R., 2013, A taxonomic revision of Germainia (Andropogoneae: Poaceae) in Thailand, Blumea 57 (3), pp. 221-228 : 227

6. Germainia thorelii A.Camus

Germainia thorelii A. Camus (1919) 287. — Themeda capitata (Balansa & Poitr.) Roberty var. thorelii (A.Camus) Roberty (1960) 102, nom. inval. — Type: Thorel s.n. (holo P; iso L, barcode L 44455), Laos, Rivière d’Ubon.

Annual. Culms slender, 25– 50 cm tall, erect, branched; nodes glabrous. Leaf­sheaths 1–2.5 cm long, glabrous to appressed pubescent, margins scarious. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.4 –1.2 mm long. Leaf­blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1–2.5 by 0.2– 0.3 cm, strigose and pilose with tubercle-based hairs especially on the upper surface, margins thick. Racemes 1, 1–1.4 cm long, capitate, composed of 2 sessile and 1 pedicelled spikelets; peduncles slender, 9 –14 cm long, glabrous. Sessile spikelets oblong, 10–14 by 2 – 3 mm; lower glumes coriaceous, oblong, 9 –12 by 2 – 3 mm, glabrous, truncate with 2 lateral caudate 1–3.5 mm long, upper margin ciliate, 7–9-nerved, nerves not anastomosing; upper glumes lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 10–14 by 1.8 –2 mm, pubescent on dorsal surface on the upper half, obtuse, upper margin ciliate, 3-nerved; lower lemmas linear-lanceolate, 8 –12 mm long, obtuse, upper margin ciliate, 1-nerved; lower paleas linear-lanceolate, 8 –9 mm long, obtuse, upper margin ciliate, nerves obscure; upper lemmas absent; upper paleas as the lower one; stamens 2, anthers, 3.5 – 6.5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets lanceolate, 6 –7 by 0.6 –2 mm, caducous; pedicels 2 –3.2 mm long, sparsely pubescent; spikelet callus linear, 2 –2.5 mm long, attached obliquely, hairy, hairs 1–1.5 mm long; lower glumes lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 6 –7 by 1–2 mm, hirsute on dorsal surface on the upper half, truncate or obtuse, upper margin ciliate, 3-nerved; upper glumes lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 5 –6.5 by 1–1.8 mm, hirsute on dorsal surface on the upper half, truncate or obtuse, upper margin ciliate, 3-nerved; lower florets suppressed; upper lemmas linear, 3– 4 mm long, awns 6.5–10.5 cm long, columns 3– 4 cm long; upper paleas oblong, 3 – 3.5 mm long, glabrous, 3 –4-dentate, upper margin ciliate; styles 2, stigmas 4 – 5 mm long. Caryopsis oblong, 3 –3.5 mm long.

Distribution — Thailand (E: Ubon Ratchathani) and Laos (between Louangphrabang and Viangchan = Vientiane).

Habitat & Ecology — On sloping sandstone with seeping water areas and grasslands on limestone areas, 150– 900 m altitude.

Specimens examined. Joseph Apr 1913 in Herb. d’Alleizette 8022; Laegaard et al. 21834.