POACEAE
Apocopis Nees., Proc. Linn. Soc. London 1: 93 (1841).
Amblyachyrum Hochst. ex Steud.
By: Watchara Arthan & Atchara Teerawatananon
Taxon Description
Plants perennial, rhizomatous. Culm erect or decumbent. Leaf blades ovate-lanceolate. Racemes borne terminally, paired, rachis internodes terete, disarticulate. Spikelets paired, heteromorphous, dorsally compressed. Sessile spikelets with 2 florets, lower floret staminate, upper floret pistillate, callus obtuse. Lower glumes oblong to obovate, abaxially ribbed, coriaceous, glabrous, 7-veined, upper glumes lanceolate, chartaceous, glabrous. Lower lemmas hyaline, glabrous, upper lemmas apex with a minute point, hyaline. Paleas hyaline. Pedicellate spikelets reduced to a rudimentary pedicel, pedicels fused with lower glume of sessile spikelet. Lodicules absent. Stamens 3. Stigmas 2.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide approximately 16 species distributed in S Asia, E Asia and SE Asia. One species in Nepal.
1. Apocopis paleaceus (Trin.) Hochr., Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 6: 262 (1910).
Ischaemum paleaceum Trin., Mem. Acad. Pétersb., sér. 6(2): 293 (1832); Andropogon himalayensis Steud.; A. paleaceus (Trin.) Steud.; Apocopis royleanus Nees.
Plants perennial, tufted, intravaginal growth. Culm erect or slightly decumbent, 22–50 cm. Leaf blades ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–6 × 0.3–0.9 cm, abaxial and adaxial surfaces hairy. Ligules less than 1 mm, apex truncate. Racemes paired, 2–4.5 cm. Spikelets heteromorphous. Sessile spikelets with callus hairy, hairs golden, ca. 1.5 mm. Lower glumes oblong to obovate, 4–5 cm, apex truncate, emarginate, 7-veined, central vein extending to a minute point beyond apex, two outermost veins converging below apex, upper glumes lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, apex narrowly truncate, 3-veined. Lower lemmas lanceolate, ca. 4.5 mm, apex narrowly truncate, upper lemmas oblong, 3–3.5 mm, apex bifid, 1-veined, vein nerve extending to a minute point. Paleas 3–4.5 mm. Pedicels linear, hairy, hairs 2–3 mm. Anthers ca. 1.5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitude range: 600–2100 m
Ecology: Pine and sal forests. Dry to wet places.
Flowering: June–October.