Ischaemum huegelii

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 35–70 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long. Leaf-blade base sagittate; with a false petiole; petiole 0.5–2 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7–15 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; appressed back to back; 4–5(–9) cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes pyriform; 4 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 pyriform; 0.5 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of fertile spikelet; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 6.5–7.5 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; winged on keels; rugose; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 6.5–7.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 1 mm long; pilose; base truncate; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged above. Lower glume surface convex; rugose; rough below; glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 7 mm long; membranous; 7 -veined; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma oblong; 6.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate, or lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.2–0.6 of lemma length; muticous, or awned only on distal spikelets; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor 1994.

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