Microstegium rufispicum (Steud.) 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 : 176-178

11. Microstegium rufispicum (Steud.) A.Camus — Fig. 9 ; Map 9

Microstegium rufispicum (Steud.) A. Camus (1921) 200; Henrard (1940) 455, isonym. — Andropogon rufispicus Steud. (1854a) 59, nom. nud.; (1854b) 379 ( ‘ rufispica ’). — Pollinia rufispica Hack.(1889) 171. — Eulalia rufispica (Steud.) Kuntze (1891) 775. — Pollinia ciliata Trin.forma rufispica (Steud.) Backer (1922) 110; reprint:34. — [ Pollinia ciliata Trin. (unranked) rufispica (Steud.) Backer (1928) 49, incl. (unranked) aristata, nom.inval.]. — Pogonatherum rufispicum Roberty (1960) 382 ( ‘ rufispica ’). — Type: Zollinger 2193 (holo P; BM, G, K).

Pollinia ciliata Trin. (unranked) mutica Hack. ex Backer (1928) 49. — Lectotype: Gisius 38 (holo L), designated here (as forma on some labels).

Perennials, mat-forming. Culms prostrate, reed like or robust, 60–500 cm long, without nodal roots, nodes glabrous. Sheaths puberulous to pilose, outer margin hairy, oral hairs bearded. Ligule a glabrous membrane, 1–2 mm long. Blades lanceolate, 10 – 25 cm by 8 –15 mm, flaccid, base attenuate to slightly rounded, pseudopetiole absent, margins scabrous, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous to densely hairy on both sides, without 1 mm tubercle-based hairs. Panicles 5–15 cm long, common axis 1–3 cm long. Racemes 2–5, digitate, ascending, straight, 4–15 cm long. Rachis fragile, angular, margins glabrous or ciliate, internodes pyriform, 4–6 mm long. Sessile spikelets without a short stalk, deciduous with the adjacent joint and pedicel, oblong, 5–7 mm long, callus puberulous. Lower glume elliptic, coriaceous, midrib glabrous, dorsally concave or longitudinally grooved, smooth, glabrous, margins ciliate, apex obtuse, entire. Upper glume elliptic, back acute, glabrous, midrib glabrous, apex entire, acute, muticous. Lower florets well-developed, male, paleate to barren, epaleate. Lower lemma lanceolate, 3–4 mm long, muticous. Upper lemma elliptic, 3.5–4 mm long, without veins, glabrous, apex entire, muticous or awned, awn from a sinus, straight, column absent, awn 0–14 mm long. Upper palea present or absent, ovate, 1–1.5 mm long, c. 0.33th times as long as the lemma, membranous, apex entire.Anthers 3, 3–4 mm long. Pedicels clavate, semiterete, 4–4.5 mm long, margins pubescent. Pedicelled spikelets variously reduced.

Distribution — Malesia: E Java (Besuki, Pasuruan).

Habitat — Forest trail, grass jungles, shrub jungles, grassy slopes, 1500–2800 m altitude. Locally numerous to abundant.

Uses — Forage.

Collector’s notes — Bright green.

Note — Backer (1928) distinguished tentatively between Pollinia ciliata aristata Hack. and mutica Hack. as intergrading forms within groups: valid, but rankless. The typical form is awned. Hackel (1889) said that awned and unawned spikelets occur within the same inflorescence, but as a rule they are of a single type, while in large areas only a single form occurs . Backer noted also a difference in the pubescence of the joints and glumes.

Figures

Map 9 Distribution of Microstegium petiolare (Trin.) Bor. (★) and M. rufispicum (Steud.) A.Camus (●).

Fig. 9 Microstegium rufispicum (Steud.) A.Camus. a. Habit; b. spikelets (front view); c. spikelets (rear view); d. lower glume; e. upper glume; f. lower lemma; g. upper lemma; h. upper palea; i. lodicules; j. joint of leaf sheath and leaf blade (all: Zollinger 2193, K).