Cynodon radiatus

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Rhizomes absent. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms geniculately ascending; slender; 20–80 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–15 cm long; 3–6(–10) mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–8; digitate; drooping; flexuous; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Raceme-bases brief; pubescent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 1.8–2.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 1.8–2.2 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins; with simple hairs, or clavate hairs. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; laterally compressed; trigonous.

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

NOTES Cynodonteae. Fl Pak.

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