Andropogon pumilus

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–45 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 7.5–12.5 cm long; 2.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; paniculate; 4–10 cm long; lax. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 0.5–2 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 1.3–2 cm long. Rhachis tough; deciduous from axis; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 2.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim. Raceme-bases flattened; subequal; 1 mm long; shortly lobed (4-lobed); persistent.

Spikelets squeezed between internode and pedicel; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 2.5 mm long; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; shorter than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 5 -veined; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface deeply depressed. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above. Upper glume mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear; 3 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–16 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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