Ichnanthus pallens

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 20–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–6 cm long; 15–20 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; oblong; 5–10 cm long; contracted about primary branches and contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–7.5 cm long; secondarily branched. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing distant; irregular.

Spikelets ascending; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; angular; unequal; 2–10 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets. Floret callus winged; with apical wings shrivelled to concave scars.

GLUMES Glumes lateral (fertile lemma rotated 90 degrees); similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.6–0.8 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume elliptic; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute to acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; 1-keeled; 7 -veined; ribbed; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; indurate; pallid, or dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical. Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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