Dichanthium fecundum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 60–120 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades flat, or revolute; 10–25 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with 7–9 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–6; single, or paired, or digitate; 4–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0–1.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 1–1.7 mm long. Rhachis internodes filiform; 1.5–2 mm long. Raceme-bases filiform; 3–7 mm long; glabrous, or pilose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 1.5–2 mm long; without a translucent median line; ciliate; with 1–1.3 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number. Basal sterile spikelet lemmas awnless.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male, or bisexual; elliptic; 5.5–6.5 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 9–11 -veined; obtuse. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; muticous, or 1-awned (when bisexual); with 0–14 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 4.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface concave; pubescent; hairy below; with tubercle-based hairs (on fringe); without hair tufts, or with a transverse fringe of hair. Lower glume hairs 2–3 mm long. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled; 3 -veined.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 2–3 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 15–28 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.9–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Blake 1995.

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