Echinochloa picta

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–45 cm long; 3–20 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; simply spaced, or closely spaced; unilateral; 1–4 cm long; simple. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular; 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; cuspidate; 3–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface hispidulous; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface hispidulous; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume hairs 0.2–0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; hispidulous; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs; bearing hairs 0.2–0.5 mm long; acuminate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 2–7 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 3–4 mm long; indurate; much thinner above; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; laterally pinched. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, northwestern, and north-central.

NOTES Paniceae. Michael 1994.

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