Isachne swaminathanii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms decumbent; 30–95 cm long; 2.5 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete; 7–15.5 cm long; striate; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths loose; subequal to internodes; glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–16 cm long; 3–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–7 vascular bundles. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially, or on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 8–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate; 3–6 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous; 1–8 mm long; glandular; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; globose; dorsally compressed; 2.2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or setose. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or setose. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or orbicular; hemispherical; 1.8–2.2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea elliptic; coriaceous; 0 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Isachneae. Prakash & Jain 2005.

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