Themeda hookeri (Griseb.) A.Camus

Veldkamp, J. F., 2016, A revision of Themeda (Gramineae) in Malesia with a new species from Laos, Blumea 61 (1), pp. 29-40 : 37

Themeda hookeri (Griseb.) A.Camus

Themeda hookeri (Griseb.) A. Camus (1920b) 425. — Anthistiria hookeri

Griseb. (1868) 91. — Lectotype: Hooker f., Sikkim, Androscepia 2 ( GOET

9981; iso in K, L), Sikkim, Choongtang, designated here. Anthistiria gigantea auct. non Cav. Anthistiria gigantea (Cav.) Hack. subsp. caudata auct. non. Hack. Themeda caudata auct. non A.Camus. Themeda gigantea auct. non Hack.

Plants perennial. Culms 0.2–0.6 m long, tufted. Nodes glabrous. Ligule 0.5–1 mm long, glabrous to setose. Leaves 3–13 cm by 2–6 mm. Uppermost spatheoles glabrous. Peduncle 7–14 mm long, c. 1/2 times as long as the spatheole, glabrous or white hairy. Involucre persistent. Involucral spikelets conspicuous, pairs unequally inserted, with 2 glumes and 1 lemma, male; lower glumes linear-lanceolate to linear, 9 –14 by 1–2 mm, acuminate, herbaceous, 11-nerved, glabrous; upper glumes 3-nerved. Fertile spikelets 2, 4.5–8.5 mm long (incl. callus), callus 1–1.5 mm long, hairs white, 1–2 mm long; lower glumes yellowish brown, apex obtuse, surface smooth and distally hispidulous to white hairy all over. Awn perfect, 20 –40 mm long, column 12–20 mm long (i.s.), straight, puberulous, hairs white (i.s.). Anthers 3–4 mm long, purple or orange. Pedicelled spikelets 3, male, 8–12 mm long; pedicel glabrous to laterally appressed hairy; lower glumes apex acuminate, glabrous.

Distribution — Sikkim, Nepal, NE India (Khasia. Not in Shukla 1996), Thailand (Northern: Chiang Mai), S China ( Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan).

Ecology — Mountain slopes, rocky places, fire prone grassy area in mixed primary evergreen hardwood and pine forest; 1100–3400 m altitude.

Collector’s notes — Culms tufted, dull violet reddish. Blades green on both sides. Glumes green to violet reddish.

Notes — The collection from Chiang Mai ( Maxwell 92­568, CMU, L) is a new record for Thailand. Two forms apparently appear to be present differing mainly in the pubescence of some inflorescence parts, which have been merged above: –. Peduncle of raceme glabrous. Fertile spikelets 4.5–6.5 mm

long (incl. callus), callus hairs c. 1 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets pedicel glabrous............ T. hookeri – Thailand –. Peduncle of raceme white hairy. Fertile spikelets c. 8.5 mm

long (incl. callus), callus hairs c. 2 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets pedicel appressed hairy........ T. hookeri – Sikkim