Microstegium falconeri

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 15–25 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–4 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 2–4 cm long. Rhachis tough; narrowly winged; flattened; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 1.5–4 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base. Spikelet callus base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled obtusely; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume elliptic. Upper glume apex acute; muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.75 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 2.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC 1997.

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