Miscanthus Andersson

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips And S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Tall tufted or rhizomatous perennials with erect culms

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades linear, flat, sometimes falsely petiolate or the whole blade terete; ligule scarious, ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence large, plumose, the central axis elongated and bearing crowded racemes on the primary branches, or very short with racemes almost digitate; raceme-rhachis not fracturing at maturity, bearing paired similar spikelets each supported on a pedicel

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets narrowly oblong to lanceolate, surrounded by an involucre of hairs from the callus; callus very short, truncate; glumes equal, as long as the spikelet, thinly coriaceous, the lower ± flattened on the back; lower floret reduced to a narrowly oblong, hyaline lemma; upper floret hermaphrodite; lemma lanceolate, hyaline, entire or finely bidentate, with or without a straight or geniculate awn; stamens 2–3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis oblong to lanceolate.

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Morphology General Habit

Perennial. Rhizomes absent (7), or short (7), or elongated (3). Culms erect (15), or geniculately ascending (2); reed-like (1/2), or robust (1/2); 30-174.3-700 cm long; without nodal roots (1/1), or with prop roots (1/1). Culm-internodes terete (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (1/2), or sparse (1/2), or ample (1/2). Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect (1). Ligule an eciliate membrane (1), or a ciliolate membrane (15). Leaf-blades stiff (2), or firm (14). Leaf-blade midrib widened (2/2). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme (6), or composed of racemes (10). Panicle open (4/6), or contracted (1/6), or spiciform (2/6). Racemes digitate (8/10), or borne along a central axis (3/10); erect (1/10), or ascending (10/10), or drooping (3/10); bearing few fertile spikelets (2), or many spikelets (14); bearing 2-5 fertile spikelets on each (2/2). Rhachis angular (3/13), or subterete (10/13). Rhachis internodes indefinite (4), or filiform (12). Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; tip cupuliform (1/1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (14), or oblong (2), or ovate (1), or obovate (1); dorsally compressed; 2-4.811-8 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pilose (1), or bearded (15); base truncate.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (14), or oblong (2), or ovate (1), or obovate (1); dorsally compressed; 2-4.811-8 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pilose (1), or bearded (15); base truncate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (8), or elliptic (2), or oblong (6); chartaceous (12), or herbaceous (1), or coriaceous (3); without keels (15), or 2-keeled (1); 0-2 -veined (1/14), or 3 -veined (6/14), or 4 -veined (3/14), or 5 -veined (7/14). Lower glume lateral veins absent (1), or obscure (3), or distinct (12); without ribs (14/15), or ribbed (1/15). Lower glume surface flat; smooth (15), or scabrous (2); glabrous (8), or puberulous (1), or pilose (6), or hirsute (1), or villous (3). Lower glume apex entire (11), or dentate (7); 2 -fid (7/7); emarginate (3/10), or truncate (3/10), or obtuse (1/10), or acute (1/10), or acuminate (3/10), or attenuate (1/10). Upper glume lanceolate (13), or elliptic (3); chartaceous (12/12); with undifferentiated margins (15), or membranous margins (1); without keels (12/15), or 1-keeled (3/15); 1 -veined (2/13), or 2 -veined (1/13), or 3 -veined (7/13), or 4 -veined (1/13), or 5 -veined (6/13). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (15), or ciliate (1). Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous (1); glabrous (11), or pilose (6), or villous (2). Upper glume apex obtuse (1), or acute (8), or acuminate (6), or attenuate (1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets male (1), or barren; with palea (1), or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (6), or oblong (9), or ovate (1); hyaline; 0 -veined (5/15), or 1 -veined (7/15), or 3 -veined (3/15); obtuse (2/15), or acute (12/15), or acuminate (1/15). Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined (2/14), or 1 -veined (13/14), or 2-3 -veined (1/14). Lemma surface glabrous (15), or pilose (1). Lemma margins eciliate (9), or ciliolate (3), or ciliate (4). Lemma apex entire (8), or dentate (8), or lobed (2); 2 -fid (10/10); incised 0.25-0.29-0.33 of lemma length; acuminate (1/1); muticous (5), or mucronate (3), or awned (12); 1 -awned (12/12). Principal lemma awn apical (6/14), or from a sinus (9/14); straight (8/14), or geniculate (7/14). Palea present (12), or absent or minute (5); 0.2-0.4622-0.66 length of lemma; hyaline (2/12), or membranous (10/12); 0 -veined (2/2); without keels (1/12), or 2-keeled (11/12). Palea surface glabrous (11/12), or pubescent (1/12).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2 (1/1); truncate (1/1). Anthers 2 (2/15), or 3 (13/15).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (2/2); lanceolate (1/3), or obovoid (2/3).

Distribution

Africa (3), or Temperate Asia (11), or Tropical Asia (6), or Australasia (2), or Pacific (2), or North America (1), or South America (1).