Ischaemum koenigii

HABIT Perennial. Culms robust; 100–150 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 30–40 cm long; 15–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3; digitate; 5–6 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes oblong; 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 cuneate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.15–0.2 length of fertile spikelet; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; elliptic; 8–11 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; winged on keels; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 10–11 mm long; 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 oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged above. Lower glume surface convex; rugose; rough on flanks; glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; 1-keeled.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; membranous. 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; 7 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC 1994.

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