Iseilema trichopus

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 10–25 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-internodes glandular (below nodes). Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths glandular (on keel); keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 6–12 cm long; 3–5.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear; 8–12 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; deciduous as a whole; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole elliptic; 1.2–1.5 cm long; chartaceous; tuberculate (on midnerve). Peduncle 0.3 cm long; tuberculate above.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; 0.9–1 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis pilose on surface. Rhachis hairs 3 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 1 mm long. Raceme-bases brief (truncate); hirsute; with 4.5 mm long hairs.

Spikelets in threes (basal paired). Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 3–3.5 mm long; puberulous.

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; 2 mm long. Basal sterile spikelets male; elliptic; 5–6 mm long; smaller than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes cartilaginous; tuberculate (on keels); pubescent; smooth on margins.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; comprising 2 unequal glumes without lemmas; lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes membranous; 9 -veined; pubescent; acute; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 8 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; pubescent; hairy generally. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy below. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 3 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma linear; 4 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.15 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 6 mm long; glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis ellipsoid; 3–3.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. CEH.

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