Ischaemum pushpangadanii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long; 1–2 mm diam.; with prop roots. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths 3–5 cm long; keeled; striately veined. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–7 mm long; pilose on abaxial surface. Leaf-blade base cordate, or sagittate; with a false petiole; petiole 1–1.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 7–15 cm long; 10–20 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; with 1–3 peduncles per sheath.

Racemes 2; paired; 3–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; villous on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate; 3.5–4 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 clavate; 3–5 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of fertile spikelet; glabrous, or ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2–4 in number; paired; sessile and pedicelled; oblong; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes glabrous; lemmas awned.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; 4.5–5.5 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; glabrous, or villous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; 3–4.5 mm long; entire; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; 1 mm long; pilose; base truncate; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs 1–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume subulate, or lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally. Lower glume surface convex, or flat; asperulous; rough above; villous; hairy below. Lower glume hairs 1–2.5 mm long. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; much thinner above; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume margins ciliolate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined; scaberulous; rough above. Palea of lower sterile floret 4.5–5.5 mm long. Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 13–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 6–7 mm long; glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.75 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.75–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Ravi et al 2006.

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