Glyphochloa acuminata

HABIT Annual. Culms 7–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subcylindrical and excavated; glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing abaxial. Rhachis internodes hour-glass shaped; 2–3.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to internode; united wholly; flattened.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; ovate; 3–5 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; winged on keels; acuminate; muticous, or awned; one glume awned; with 2–3 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate; with central peg; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; indurate; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged above. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface rugose; glabrous. Lower glume apex caudate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–4 mm long. Upper glume elliptic; membranous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma elliptic; hyaline; without keel.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Jain.

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