Ischaemum anthephoroides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Culms decumbent; 30–60 cm long; 1.8–2.5 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes 2–10 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–15 cm long; 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; appressed back to back; 5–8 cm long; 8–10 mm wide. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; villous on margins. Rhachis hairs 3 mm long. Rhachis internodes oblong; 4–5.5 mm long; flat and forming a U or V shape with the pedicel in rear view. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 4–5.5 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile spikelet; villous; with 3 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; pubescent; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 8–10 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; base truncate; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged all along; 1–8 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume surface flat; pubescent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; membranous; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma oblong; membranous; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 5–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4–5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Koyama 1994.

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