Sehima notatum

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pubescent. Culms 50–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hispid. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–40 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 9–15 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 5–5.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip oblique; crateriform.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels cuneate; flattened; ciliate; tip rectangular.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 11.5–12 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; distinctly veined; 9 -veined; dentate; 2 -fid; setaceously attenuate. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 12–12.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; glabrous; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; asymmetrical; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally below, flaring to lateral above; winged on keel; winged narrowly; 8 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins branching above; intercarinal veins absent below, prominent above. Lower glume surface flat, or concave. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned (on 1 tooth). Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged near apex; 7 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 10–11 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 9.5–10 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 42–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4–5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Patunkar.

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