Themeda pseudotremula

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 80–200 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 5–10 cm long; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 5–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; fasciculate; 20–50 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; scarious; tuberculate; pilose (on margins).

Racemes 1; single; oblong; 0.5–1 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 0.5 mm long; ciliate; with red hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number; forming an involucre about the fertile; subsessile; elliptic; 7–9 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet lower glume muticous.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus linear; 2–2.5 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet glumes 9–11 -veined (lower glume); tuberculate on margins; ciliate on margins. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; 3.5–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; bearded; base obtuse; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs red.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 8–9 -veined. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove; hirsute. Lower glume hairs red. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long. Upper glume primary vein ciliate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; hyaline; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 20–30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 3; 1.2–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Potdar 2002.

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