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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Bothriochloa ensiformis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms robust; 30–80 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–25 cm long; 8–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation distinct. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or puberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–15; digitate; 3–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear; 2.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse. Raceme-bases filiform; 4–6 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 2.5 mm long; with a translucent median line (also present in internodes); ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; elliptic; 2.5–5 mm long; as long as fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached transversely. Spikelet callus hairs 1.5–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume apex emarginate, or truncate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; acute. Fertile lemma linear; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 22 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Blatt & McCann 1994.

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