Lopholepis ornithocephala

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–2.5 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade margins spinulose. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath.

Racemes 1; single; erect; multilateral; 3–15 cm long. Rhachis angular; puberulous on surface.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; terete; 0.3–0.5 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; like a bird's head; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2.5–2.75 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus cuneate; 1.5 mm long; pilose; base truncate.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; gibbous; 2.5–2.75 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of upper glume; coriaceous; dark brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous; transversely waisted. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2 mm long; 1.6–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; dark brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1–1.25 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.8 length of lemma; hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Stigmas 2; sparsely hairy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1.25 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Bor.

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