Sehima sulcatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–120 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 8–28 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 4–9 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes columnar; 4.5–5 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; 9.5–10 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; distinctly veined; 7 -veined; 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; 9.5–10 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; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled laterally; 5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins branching above (obscurely); intercarinal veins absent below, prominent above. Lower glume surface convex and with a longitudinal median groove. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 12–14 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 5.8–6.3 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong; 4.3–4.8 mm long; 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; 30–35 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.3–3.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Patunkar.

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