Microstegium dispar

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 60–150 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades spreading, or reflexed; linear, or lanceolate; 2–12 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–5; digitate; ascending, or spreading; 3.5–7.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear; 3.25–4.75 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; 2.5–3 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base and with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; light green; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely; 6(–8) -veined. Lower glume surface concave; pilose; hairy below. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume elliptic; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy below. Upper glume apex acute; muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–17 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Java 1997.

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