Chrysopogon fulvus

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–50(–100) cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–15 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; ovate; 4–8 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; villous (fulvously); hairy at tip.

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; 0.25–0.33 length of fertile spikelet; villous; with dark brown hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 2.5–5.5(–6.5) mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; awned; one glume awned; with 2.5–6 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; 4–6(–8) mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; pilose; base pungent. Spikelet callus hairs red.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 3–5(–6.5) mm long; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels. Lower glume surface hispidulous; hairy at apex. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein ciliate (in the middle with fulvous hairs). Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 6–10 mm long; hispidulous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 20–30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous, or pubescent. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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