Abstract: We report the vegetative proliferation and new phenomenon of “secondary proliferated inflorescences” in the grass Ischaemum barbatum Retz, as determined by anatomical analysis of prepared sections of inflorescences. Leaves and shoots could be developed from the original spikelets of inflorescences and plantlets developed when these shoots were transplanted to moist soil. “Secondary proliferated inflorescences” is the first name here because some inflorescences that developed inadequacy are grown from the spikelet on the mother inflorescence. Our investigation showed that this form of vegetative proliferation and secondary proliferated inflorescences development of I. barbatum has arisen following late autumn fires of the previous year. It is suggested that the sudden onset of a fire could lead to a hormone imbalance or a chemical induction, which results in ephemeral vegetative proliferation even secondary proliferated inflorescences development in wild populations.(Author for correspondence. Tel: +86 (0)20 3725 2993; E-mail: magh@scib.ac.cn)

Key words: Ischaemum barbatum, secondary proliferated inflorescence, vegetative proliferation.