Zenkeria elegans

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 30–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute; 30–60 cm long; 6–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 15–25 cm long; 6–8 cm wide. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; keeled above; 7–9(–11) -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lemma apex acute. Palea surface pilose. Rhachilla extension 0.1 length of fertile floret.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; isodiametric; biconvex. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Arundineae. Bor.

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