Ischaemum murinum

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–50 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–3 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–10 cm long; 2–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; 2–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs yellow; 1–3 mm long. Rhachis internodes oblong; 2.5–4 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 oblong; 2.5–4 mm long; 1 length of internode; ciliate; with yellow hairs; with 1–4 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; glabrous, or pilose; awned; both glumes awned; with 0.5–4 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1-awned.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs 2–3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled laterally. Lower glume surface convex; glabrous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 2 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–6 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.33–0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Pacific: southwestern and south-central.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Hackel 1996.

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