Cochinchinochloa H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran, 2013

Cochinchinochloa H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran View in CoL , gen. nov. — Fig. 1 View Fig

Type species. Cochinchinochloa braiana H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran.

Etymology. The generic epithet refers to the Cochinchine area (southern Vietnam, which includes Braian mountain, Lamdong Province where the species is located), and -chloa: grass.

Densely tufted with rhizomes short-necked, pachymorph. Culms and branches scrambling or hanging over nearby vegetation or trees; culms of medium size, with relatively thin walls, nodes with a thick swollen patella. Branches several with the middle one dominant, elongating. Culm leaves usually purplish when young; the blade erect and inflated at the base, tardily deciduous; auricles present. Nodes of leafy branches with a thick swollen patella; leaf sheaths dense white cilia, auricles present. Inflorescence terminating leafy branches, indeterminate; each pseudospikelet subtended by a prophyllate bud and consisting of 1–3 transitional glumes, apex acute mucronate, margins shortly white-hispid, abaxial surface white cilia; two perfect florets; the rachilla internode between the perfect florets elongate; and a rachilla extension bearing an imperfect floret elongate at maturity; perfect floret consisting of lemma and palea; lemma oblong-lanceolate, shorter than the palea, apex acute, mucronate, convolute and uncovered palea, margins dense cilia; palea 2-keeled with a narrow groove on the back, apex obtuse, margins dense cilia; lodicules 3, apex obtuse, dense ciliate; stamens 6, filaments free; glabrous ovary with long style; stigmas 3, plumose; caryopsis oblong with relatively thin pericarp.

Note — This remarkable genus is distinctive based on the presence of a thick swollen patella at the culm nodes and nodes of leafy branches, pseudospikelets having two perfect florets, the rachilla internode between the perfect florets elongated, a rachilla extension bearing an imperfect floret at maturity, a narrowly 2-keeled palea with an abaxial groove, three lodicules, six stamens, free filaments, a glabrous ovary with a long style and three stigmas, and an oblong caryopsis with relatively thin pericarp.