Ischaemum agastyamalayanum

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–80 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–20 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy, or moderately hairy, or densely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; appressed back to back; 3–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 0.5–3 mm long. Rhachis internodes inflated; 2–3 mm long; flat and forming a U or V shape with the pedicel in rear view. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; villous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 9–11 -veined; villous (on keel); awned; one glume awned. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; 1-awned.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 5–8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; bearded; base truncate; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs 1–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled laterally; 11–13 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; pilose. Lower glume hairs 1–3 mm long. Lower glume apex dentate; 3 -fid. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged near apex; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2–3 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong, or ovate; 4–5.5 mm long; hyaline; 3–5 -veined; ciliolate on margins; fringed above; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 4–4.5 mm long. Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 12–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5–6 mm long; glabrous. Palea 4–4.5 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Sreekumar et al 2006.

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