Chrysopogon asper

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base cordate, or amplexicaul. Leaf-blades 10–40 cm long; 6–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins serrulate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches capillary.

Racemes bearing a triad of spikelets; 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis obsolete.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 3–4 mm long; 0.66 length of fertile spikelet; ciliate; hairy all along but hairs longer above.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 7 -veined; pilose (on keel); awned; one glume awned; with 12–15 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus linear; 2–4 mm long; bearded; base pungent. Spikelet callus hairs dark brown.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pectinately ciliate (at tip). Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume oblong; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 12–15 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3–5 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 60–75 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 30–35 mm long; pubescent. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3–8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Nair 1993.

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