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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Imperata cylindrica
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; 10–120 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; flat, or convolute; 3–100 cm long; 2–20 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.
Panicle spiciform; linear; 3–22 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis.
Racemes bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis tough; subterete. Rhachis internodes filiform.
Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; unequal.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.2–6 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 2–3 length of spikelet.
GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface villous; hairy below. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.2–6 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface villous; hairy below. Upper glume apex obtuse.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; oblong; 0.5 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; ciliolate on margins; erose; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; 1 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 3–5 mm long. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern and northwestern. North America: southeast USA and Mexico.
NOTES Andropogoneae. FTEA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
