Sphaerocaryum malaccense

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 7–30 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base amplexicaul. Leaf-blades ovate; 0.8–4 cm long; 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 2.5–5 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary; glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 0.7–1.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.7–1.2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea ovate; 1 length of lemma; hyaline; 3 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Isachneae. WDC.

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