Tripogon wightii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths, or fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 15–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–12 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 4–15 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 10–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 15–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 11 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 6–8 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins extending close to apex. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1.5 mm long; obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight; 5–6 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC 1994.

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