Ischaemum kumarakodiense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 30–75 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths 4–8 cm long; keeled; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 3–4 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades ascending; linear; 15 cm long; 5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; 4–7 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; villous on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate; 3–4 mm long. 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; 2.5–3 mm long; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; bisexual; elliptic; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; winged on keels (1 keel); 9–11 -veined. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus 0.5–0.75 mm long; pubescent; base truncate; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged above; 9–11 -veined. Lower glume surface flat; rugose. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume margins ciliate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 4.5 mm long; membranous; 3 -veined; scaberulous; rough above; ciliate on margins; fringed above. Palea of lower sterile floret 4.25 mm long. Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; muticous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.25–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Fl Kerala 2006.

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