Microstegium ciliatum

HABIT Perennial. Culms rambling; 60–120 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–15 cm long; 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–20; digitate; 3–10 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear; 2.5–3.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip clavate.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached transversely. Spikelet callus hairs white, or purple.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely; 4 -veined. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove; asperulous; pilose; hairy above. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1.5–4 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets with vestigial lower floret. Fertile lemma orbicular; 0.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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