Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 20–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.7–1.1 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or elliptic; 2–20 cm long; 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 5–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending. Panicle branches scabrous; glabrous, or pilose; pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; gibbous; 1.25–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; gibbous; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1.25–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1–1.5 mm long; indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex with a little green crest. Palea reflexed at apex; involute; indurate; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and northwestern.

NOTES Paniceae. Nair 1993.

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