Microstegium eucnemis

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 90–130 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades elliptic; 10–25 cm long; 10–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (1–)3–25; digitate; 5–9 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 3 mm long.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret absent. Palea of lower sterile floret membranous (3.5mm long); pilose; adorned on flanks. Fertile lemma linear; 1–1.25 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea obovate; hyaline. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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