Chrysopogon lancearius

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 120–180 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–50 cm long; 10–22 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib widened. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins spinulose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; 5–10 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; flattened; 3 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile spikelet; ciliate; hairy all along but hairs longer above; with dark brown hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 8 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 7 -veined; pubescent (on keel); awned; one glume awned; with 7 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; 6–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 1 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. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume oblong; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 7.5–10 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Fertile lemma linear; 2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 30–50 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Assam 1993.

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