17. Poaceae Tribe THYSANOLAENEAE
粽叶芦族 zong ye lu zu
Authors: Liang Liu & Sylvia M. Phillips
Perennials. Culms tufted, tall, bamboolike, solid. Leaf blades broad, flat, many-veined, cross veinlets present, base rounded, contracted to sheath, apex acuminate; ligule scarious. Inflorescence a large panicle, the numerous tiny spikelets on branchlets contracted around the primary branches, immature at emergence. Spikelets with 2 florets and a rachilla extension, a 3rd reduced floret sometimes present, laterally compressed, falling entire with pedicel attached, subsequently disarticulating between florets; rachilla glabrous, internode very short; glumes much shorter than spikelet, hyaline, 0–1-veined, rounded on back, obtuse; lower lemma barren without palea, oblong-lanceolate, membranous, rounded on back, 1–3-veined, glabrous, narrowly acuminate; upper floret bisexual, becoming firm, its lemma lanceolate, finely 3-veined, ciliate on margins, apex acuminate-rostrate; palea small, hyaline. Stamens 2–3. Caryopsis subglobose, hilum punctiform. x = 12.
One species: tropical Asia, including China, Indian Ocean Islands.
