Isachne sylvestris

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 20–50 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths 3–5 cm long; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 4 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–10 cm long; 7–14 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; pubescent; densely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–17 cm long; 3–6.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 3–7 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.8 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 7(–9) -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret unlike other scales; ovate; 1.6 mm long; 1.3 length of fertile lemma; coriaceous; pubescent. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long; yellow. Stigmas purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Isachneae. Gilliland 1993.

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