Sorghum burmahicum

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 120–150 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long. Leaf-blades 25–50 cm long; 4–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins spinulose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; oblong; 10–23 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; simple; 1–8 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Racemes bearing few fertile spikelets; 4–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform; 3.5–4 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 3.5–4.25 mm long; 1 length of fertile spikelet; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 5–7 -veined; setose; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse. Spikelet callus hairs red.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; much thinner above; dark brown; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; much thinner above; dark brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 0.8 length of spikelet; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; 1 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent; hairy on the spiral. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; glabrous. Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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