Tragus mongolorum

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms decumbent; 3–20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 0.5–5 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a multilateral false spike; spreading; oblong; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 1–4 cm long. Rhachis obsolete; deciduous from axis. Raceme-bases filiform; 0.5 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster; subequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.5–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–4 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins thickened; ribbed. Upper glume surface with hooked spines (never bulbous); rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2–3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.4–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; biconvex. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: western Asia, China, and Mongolia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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