Microstegium stapfii (Hook.f.) A.Camus

Chen, H., Veldkamp, J. - F. & Kuoh, C. - S., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Microstegium s. str. Andropogoneae, Poaceae), Blumea 57 (2), pp. 160-189 : 178-180

13. Microstegium stapfii (Hook.f.) A.Camus — Fig. 11 ; Map 11

Microstegium stapfii (Hook.f.) A. Camus (1921) 200. — Pollinia stapfii Hook.f. (1896a) 115. — Type: Kurz s.n. (holo K).

Perennials, mat-forming. Culms rambling, robust, 40–80 cm long, rooting from the lower nodes. Nodes glabrous. Sheaths glabrous, outer margin hairy, oral hairs absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane, 0.7–1 mm long. Blades elliptic, 10–15 cm by 10–20 mm, flaccid, base attenuate to slightly rounded, pseudopetiole present, margins scabrous, apex attenuate, acute, moderately hairy on both sides, without tubercle-based hairs. Panicles 5 –8 cm long, common axis 1.5–2.5 cm long. Racemes 6–9, digitate, ascending, straight, 4–7 cm long. Rachis fragile, angular, margins ciliate, internodes pyriform, c. 4.5 mm long. Sessile spikelets without a short stalk, deciduous with the adjacent joint and pedicel, elliptic, c. 4.5 mm long, callus setose. Lower glume elliptic, coriaceous, midrib glabrous, dorsally longitudinally grooved, smooth, pilose all over, margins glabrous, apex obtuse, erose. Upper glume lanceolate, back acute, pilose, midrib glabrous, hairy near the apex, apex dentate, acute, awned, awn c. 2 mm long. Lower florets reduced, male or barren, epaleate. Upper lemma lanceolate, c. 1.5 mm long, veined, glabrous, apex incised to 0.1–0.25th of the lemma length, awn from a sinus, geniculate, column twisted, awn (incl. column) 20–24 mm long. Upper palea oblong, 1–1.5 mm long, as long as the lemma, hyaline, apex erose. Anthers 3, c. 3 mm long. Pedicels clavate, V-shaped, c. 4 mm long, margins pubescent. Pedicelled spikelets variously reduced, c. 0.25 as long as the sessile, female or sterile.

Distribution — Burma (Arakan, Sagaing).

Habitat — Low sandstone hills.

Note — Known only from the type specimen.

Figures

Fig. 11 Microstegium stapfii (Hook.f.) A.Camus. a. Habit; b. spikelets; c. lower glume; d. upper glume; e. upper lemma with long flexuous awn; f. upper palea; g. pistil (all: Kurz s.n., K).