Asthenochloa tenera

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 10–90 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 2–10 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; oblong; 4–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary; terete.

Racemes bearing a triad of spikelets. Rhachis obsolete. Raceme-bases filiform; pubescent; hairy at tip.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; flattened; 0.3 mm long; 0.15 length of fertile spikelet; plumose.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume oblong; cartilaginous; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy above. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; 1 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.4 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6–8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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