Dichaetaria wightii

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms 40–70 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 1–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; effuse; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple; bearing 1–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 10–15 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; linear; 3–4 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 8–12 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC.

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