Triplopogon ramosissimus

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 100–180 cm long; with prop roots. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 30–60 cm long; 15–35 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; fastigiate. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 6–8 cm long; herbaceous.

Racemes 1; single; 4–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 5 mm long; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets rudimentary; 2 in number.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; lanceolate; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; distinctly veined; pilose; entire, or dentate (bisetose); acuminate. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base truncate; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex. Lower glume surface with a longitudinal median groove; pubescent; with marginal tufts of hair. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 9 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with a dorsal tuft of hair. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 6 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 40–50 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent; hairy on the spiral. Palea hyaline; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; laterally compressed; sulcate on hilar side; 3.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor.

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