Schmidiella maxwellii Veldk., 2018

Veldkamp, Jan-Frits, 2018, Schmidiella Veldk., gen. nov., an enigmatic new genus of Gramineae from Laos, Adansonia (3) 40 (4), pp. 55-58 : 56

Schmidiella maxwellii Veldk. , sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Caespitosus, culmi ad 20 cm alti nodis glabris. Laminae erectopatentes rigidae persistentes ad 12 cm longae 0.5 mm in diam., glabrae, costa nervis subaequales, margines involuti, apex acutus. Spiculae proterandrae lineares 4.8-5.5 mm longae c. 0.5 mm latae, callo glabro, nervis si 5 lateralibus arte approximatis, apice acuto, arista 2-4.5 mm longa antrorse scaberula. Palea plicata lanceolata 4.5-5 mm longa acuta. Antherae lineares c. 3 mm longae. Caryopsis c. 3 mm longa 0.4 mm lata.

TYPUS. — Laos. Savannakhet Prov., Champhone Distr., Huay So(u)y Reservoir, N. side of the Don Yaeng island , elevation 125 m. 20-IV-2007, Maxwell 07-164 (holo-, L [ L3963931 ]; iso-, CMU) .

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Laos, only known from the type collection. Open, sandy, dry area, seasonally submerged, in deciduous hardwood forested area.

ETYMOLOGY. — In memory of the collector, my good friend the late James F. Maxwell (1945-2015).

DESCRIPTION

Culms caespitose, up to 20 cm tall, nodes glabrous. Blades erecto-patent, rigid, persistent, up to 12 cm by 0.5 m in diam., glabrous, nerves subequal to the midrib, margins involute, apex acute. Spikelets protandrous, linear, 4.8-5.5 by c. 0.5 mm, callus glabrous, nerves when 5 close to the lateral ones, apex acute, awn 2-4.5 mm long, antrorsely scaberulous. Palea folded, lanceolate, 4.5-5 mm long, acute. Anthers linear, c. 3 mm long. Caryopsis c. 3 by 0.4 mm.

COLLECTOR’ S NOTES

Annual. Matted, densely clustered. Culms pale green. Leaves dull pale green on both sides. Spikelets pale green, turning stramineous. Awns whitish.

Figures

FIG. 1. — Schmidiella maxwellii Veldk.,gen.nov.,sp.nov.:A, habit;B, sheath/ligule/blade;C, spikelet;D, Palea;E, anthers/ovary/style;F, caryopsis/style (L3963931). Scale bars: A, 1 cm; B-F, 1 mm.