Colpodium nutans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; (12–)20–80 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–6 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–15 cm long; 2–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; nodding; 6–15 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Panicle branches flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume oblong; 1.8–3.2 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins all falling short of apex. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume cuneate; 2.2–3.5 mm long; 0.6–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma cuneate; 3.5–4.7 mm long; purple; keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent; less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 1.2 length of lemma. Palea keels smooth; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Iran.

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