Cleistogenes gatacrei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades spreading, or reflexed; 1.2–3 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 3–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–4.5 cm long; bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 10–13 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 3–6 mm long; pubescent; hairy at tip. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; (1.7–)3–4 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins eciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0–1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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