Ischaemum eberhardtii

HABIT Annual. Culms rambling; 40–60 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; wider than blade at the collar; pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; brown. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–12 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade venation indistinct; of 3 orders; with 8–10 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth; pilose; sparsely hairy, or moderately hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–3; single, or paired, or digitate; 3–6 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear; 3.5–4 mm long; flat and forming a U or V shape with the pedicel in rear view and with a basal circular pore between internode and pedicel. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; heteromorphic (lower glume of pedicelled spikelet without keel, entire.). Pedicels linear; angular; 3.5–4 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally; wingless; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; hirsute. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; wingless; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface hirsute. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1.5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 4.5–6.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous. Palea of lower sterile floret 4.5–5.5 mm long; pubescent. Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.75 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Indo-Chine 2001.

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