Iseilema holei

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 60–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths 3.5–8.5 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.75–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–60 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; fasciculate. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; deciduous as a whole; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole linear; 0.5–1 cm long; herbaceous; tuberculate (on midnerve).

Racemes 1; single; oblong; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis internodes linear; 0.8–1 mm long. Raceme-bases brief (truncate).

Spikelets in threes (basal paired). Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 2–2.5 mm long; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number; forming an involucre about the fertile; with both pairs arising at about the same level; pedicelled; deciduous with the fertile. Basal sterile spikelet pedicels linear; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Basal sterile spikelets male; lanceolate, or oblong; 4.2–4.5 mm long; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; ciliate on margins.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 4 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma linear; membranous; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 17–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Patunkar.

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