Bhidea burnsiana

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 8–13 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 2.5–4 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 3–5 cm long; membranous.

Racemes 2; paired; 1.5–2 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; cupuliform; with lobed rim. Raceme-bases filiform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 3.5 mm long; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number (lower raceme); 4 in upper raceme; barren; 4–5.5 mm long; smaller than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet lower glume muticous.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; lanceolate; asymmetrical; as long as fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet callus square; truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; winged on keels; entire, or lobed; muticous, or awned; one glume awned; with 0.5–1.5 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 1 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; asymmetrical; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged broadly; winged above; 2 -veined. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 4 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 4–5 mm long (winged).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.15 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea hyaline; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Internode tip slightly oblique, 0.5mm.

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