Cymbopogon tortilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 75–110 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 4–5 mm wide; dark green; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty, or linear; 35 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole elliptic; 1.4 cm long; red.

Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 1.3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform. Raceme-bases flattened; unequal (the longer measured).

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 male; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet lower glume muticous.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 3 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 7 -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 lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4 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; wingless, or winged on keel; winged narrowly. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct; 3–4 in number. Lower glume surface flat. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled; keeled above. 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; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Soenarko 1993.

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