Apocopis vaginata

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 5–15 cm long. Leaf-sheaths inflated; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; lacerate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2–3.5 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous; tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Peduncle glabrous.

Racemes 2; paired; erect; 1–2 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs tawny; 2.5 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 1.5 mm long.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels adnate at the base to lower glume of sessile spikelet; linear; 1.5 mm long; ciliate; with tawny hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; chartaceous; much thinner above; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein falling short of apex. Lower glume lateral veins all falling short of apex. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume hairs tawny. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; light brown; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 18–24 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 8–12 mm long; puberulous. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 0.75–1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor 1992.

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