Silentvalleya nairii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades 40–60 cm long; 0.4–0.6 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 8–20 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 7–10 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.5–1.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.2 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4 mm long; membranous; keeled; lightly keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; midway between midvein and margin. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–5 mm long overall; limb scaberulous. Palea elliptic; 0.7–0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; linear; 1.25 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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