Arthraxon inermis

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms rambling; 20–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base amplexicaul. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 2–5 cm long; 4–12 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–6; digitate; 1.5–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform; 2 mm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.2 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 7–8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC 1993.

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