Themeda sabarimalayana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–200 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; acute. Leaf-blades 15–40 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; paniculate; 30–60 cm long; lax. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; 1–2 cm long; scarious.

Racemes 1; single; cuneate; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.

Spikelets in threes (basal paired). Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 0.5 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number; forming an involucre about the fertile; with both pairs arising at about the same level; subsessile; 6–14 mm long; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes pilose; lower glume muticous.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus linear; 1–1.5 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus linear; bearded; base pungent; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs dark brown; 1–3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; 2-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; 3–5 -veined; obscurely veined. Fertile lemma linear; 1–2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 15–30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea ovate; 0.5 mm long; hyaline.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Sreekumar 1999.

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