ZOYSIA

Zoysia Willd., Neue Schriften Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin 3: 440. 1801; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 496.

Perennials, rhizomatous and/ or stoloniferous, sward-forming. Culms arising from nodes along stolons, often densely branched at ground level. Leaf blades conspicuously distichous, stiff, flat or involute; ligule short, ciliolate. Inflorescence a cylindrical, dense, spike-like raceme; spikelets appressed to axis, falling entire; pedicels persistent, flattened, sometimes widened upwards. Spikelets laterally compressed, 1-flowered. Lower glume usually absent; upper glume as long as spikelet, enclosing floret, laterally compressed, coriaceous, rounded at back, smooth, glossy, apex acute or midnerve excurrent into mucro. Lemma membranous, 1-3-nerved, apex acute or emarginate; palea reduced or absent. Lodicules absent. Styles connate at base, stigmas apically exserted. Caryopsis ovoid.

9 species

Zoysia matrella var. pacifica

Zoysia matrella var. pacifica (L.) Merr. var. pacifica Goudsw., Blumea 26: 172. 1980; Zoysia pacifica (Goudsw.) M. Hotta & S. Kuroki, Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 45: 71. 1994; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 498.

Perennial, stoloniferous, forming a dense sward. Culms (3-)4-10 cm long, much branched. Leaves distichous; leaf blades linear-lanceolate, soft, flat, 1.5-6 cm, ca. 1 mm wide, glabrous; leaf sheaths glabrous, bearded at mouth with long white hairs, up to 5 mm long; ligule short, ciliolate. Inflorescence a linear, cylindrical, dense, spike-like raceme, up to 1.5 cm long, raceme 1; rachis wavy, scabrous. Spikelets 6-12, occasionally more (16), loosely overlapping, ascending, solitary, pedicelled, falling entire; pedicels shorter than the spikelets, up to 1.5 mm, scabrous, slightly widened at apex. Spikelets laterally compressed, 2-3 mm x ca. 0.6 mm, straw-coloured tinged purplish. Lower glume absent. Upper glume as long as spikelet, lanceolate, shiny, enclosing floret, laterally compressed, leathery, rounded at back, obscurely 5-nerved, apex subacute, muticous. Lemma slightly shorter than upper glume, oblong, 1-nerved, apex acute. Palea and lodicules absent. Stamens 3; anthers large, ca. 2 mm long. Styles connate at base; stigmas 2, plumose, apically exserted.

Flowering and Fruiting: August to December
Common Names: Manila Grass, Korean Grass, Manila Temple Grass, Siglap Grass, Temple Grass, Japanese Carpet