Prosphytochloa

Perennial, long-rhizomatous, climbing forest grasses with erect, scandent culms. Leaf blade heterophyllous (of 2 dissimilar kinds), margins scabrid with minute, short, retrorse barbs; lower leaves lanceolate, acuminate, expanded, +/- flaccid, caudate; upper leaves filiform, longer than lower lanceolate type, tapering into a long filiform tip; ligule an unfringed membrane, usually truncate, eventually becoming laciniate. Inflorescence an open panicle, terminal on main culm and lateral branches; spikelets solitary, pedicelled. Spikelet slightly laterally compressed, broadly lanceolate, slightly twisted; glumes very reduced, +/- equal, joined to form a small cup, awnless. Florets 3; lower 2 florets sterile; lemma subulate, variable in length, armed with minute hyaline spines; palea 0; uppermost floret bisexual; lemma acuminate, boat-shaped, coarsely covered with hyaline spines, entire, margins inflexed, 5-nerved, scarcely keeled, awnless; callus 0; palea acuminate, coriaceous, 3-nerved. Lodicules 2, broadly ovate, obtuse, fleshy, indistinctly nerved. Stamens 6. Ovary glabrous, subglobose; styles distinct, plumose. Caryopsis longitudinally grooved. x= 12.