Ischaemum hubbardii

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 30–40 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; lacerate. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades 5–14 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; appressed back to back; 5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes oblong; 6 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; 3–5 mm long; 0.5–0.8 length of internode; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas, or male; oblong; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; winged on keels; awned; one glume awned. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; 4 mm long; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 6–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged above. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 6 mm long; membranous; 3 -veined; obscurely veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 3.5 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Assam 1993.

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