GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Cymbopogon martinii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms erect; 150–300 cm long. Culm-nodes flush with internodes, or swollen. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–4 mm long. Leaf-blade base cordate, or amplexicaul. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 25–50 cm long; 10–30 mm wide; glaucous; aromatic. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear, or paniculate; 15–30 cm long; dense. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate, or elliptic; 2–4 cm long; red. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 1.5–2 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; pubescent on surface; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform. Raceme-bases flattened; subequal.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; semiterete; ciliate; hairy on surface and margins.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme; with swollen internode in lower raceme; sessile and pedicelled. Basal sterile spikelet pedicels free; swollen in lower raceme. Basal sterile spikelets equalling fertile.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; distinctly veined; 8 -veined; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct; 2 in number. Lower glume surface with V-shaped depression. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 12–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Pak 1993.

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