Hypolytrum in Flora of China @ efloras.org

1. Hypolytrum Persoon, Syn. Pl. 1: 70. 1805.

割鸡芒属 ge ji mang shu

Authors: Lun-Kai Dai, David A. Simpson & Gordon C. Tucker

Herbs, perennial, moderately robust to robust, rhizomatous [or stoloniferous]. Roots coarse. Culms central or lateral, if lateral then with cataphylls at base. Leaves 3-ranked, basal or cauline, ligulate; basal leaf sheath folded, adaxially open, cauline leaf sheath tubular; leaf blade leathery, glabrous. Involucral bracts leaflike or glumelike, basal bract usually longest. Inflorescence usually an open compound panicle or capitate, with 1 to many spikes. Spikes comprising many spirally imbricate glumelike bracts each subtending a bisexual spikeletlike unit with a much reduced axis (pseudospikelet). Pseudospikelets comprising a naked apparently terminal female flower and 2(or 3) glumes all subtending a male flower comprising 1 stamen; basal 2 glumes opposite, keeled. Perianth bristles absent. Stigmas 2 or 3. Nutlet with a sculptured hard outer surface, apex often conically rostrate or sometimes mucronate.

About 60 species: tropical and subtropical regions; four species (two endemic) in China.

1 Culms central; inflorescences paniculate with many spikes; basalmost involucral bract 15-30 × 0.7-1.7 cm, much longer than inflorescence. 1 H. nemorum

+ Culms lateral; inflorescences capitate, with 1 to many spikes; basalmost involucral bract 1.5-5 × ca. 5 cm, shorter to slightly longer than inflorescence (2)

2 (1) Culms 30-45 cm; leaf blade 2-6 mm wide; spike 1(or 2). 4 H. shurenii

+ Culms 5-40 cm; leaf blade 1-2 cm wide; spikes few to many (3)

3 (2) Culms 5-10 cm tall; spikes few; nutlet olivaceous, subglobose, ca. 2 mm, apex mucronate. 2 H. paucistrobiliferum

+ Culms 30-40 cm tall; spikes many; nutlet brown, obovoid to ovoid, ca. 3 mm, apex conically rostrate. 3 H. hainanense

Lower Taxa

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