Saccharum rufipilum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 200–350 cm long; woody. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 30–60 cm long; 3–20 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Peduncle hirsute above.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 15–40 cm long; 4–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis villous.

Racemes 2.5–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; pilose on surface. Rhachis internodes linear.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs yellow, or red; 5–10 mm long; 2–3 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; much thinner above; pallid and red (at tip); 2-keeled. Lower glume surface flat; pilose. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; much thinner above; without keels. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 10–20 mm long overall. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; ciliate. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Pak 1993.

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