Cymbopogon nardus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Culms 75–300 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–9 mm long. Leaf-blades drooping; flat; 20–60 cm long; 3–15 mm wide; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear; 15–60 cm long; dense. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole elliptic; 1–2.5 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 1–2 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 0.5–3 mm long. 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.

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

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 3.5–6 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; distinctly veined; 3–7 -veined (intercarinal); 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 lanceolate; dorsally compressed; (3–)3.5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged above. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent, or obscure; 0–4 in number. Lower glume surface convex, or flat, or concave. Lower glume apex emarginate. 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; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 5–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. Pacific: southwestern and northwestern. South America: Caribbean and northern South America.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Leaf-blades drooping for one third their length.

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