Poaceae
Microstegium

Microstegium delicatulum (Hook.f.) A.Camus

First published in Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, n.s., 68: 200 (1922)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Assam to China (Yunnan). It is an annual and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Annual; mat forming. Culms rambling; weak; 30-90 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths tight; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2-0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades elliptic; 5-10 cm long; 4-8 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 3-5; digitate; 4-8 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear; 1.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip clavate. Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 1 mm long; ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached transversely. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5 length of spikelet.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached transversely. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5 length of spikelet.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely; 4 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface flat, or concave; smooth, or asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets with vestigial lower floret. Fertile lemma orbicular; 0.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6-8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 1 mm long.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.
Reference
Andropogoneae. Bor 1992.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0