Microchloa kunthii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 10–60 cm long; 1–4 mm diam.; wiry; 2–8 -noded. Leaves cauline. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; flat, or conduplicate; 1–8(–11) cm long; 0.3–1.75 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 2–25 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; 0.8–1.2 mm wide. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 2.5–4(–4.5) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; parallel to lemmas. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–4(–4.5) mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–4(–4.5) mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; hyaline; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1.2 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia and China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. North America: southwest USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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