Heteranthelium

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 10–30 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes single; oblong; bilateral. Rhachis fracturing into irregular segments. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes oblong; falling in segments of 1–2 fertile nodes surmounted by 1–3 nodes of sterile spikelets, these alternating along the raceme.

Spikelets ascending; solitary, or in a cluster of closely packed nodes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1–2 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 1–3 in the cluster.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by awns.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13–15 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume subulate; 1 length of upper glume. Lower glume surface without pits; pilose. Upper glume subulate. Upper glume surface pilose.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; coriaceous; without keel; wingless; 7 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; unwrinkled; without grooves; villous. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets 2–4 in number; barren; in a clump; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; apex fleshy. Embryo 0.25–0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.