Saccharum stewartii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 200–300 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 25–50 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Peduncle hirsute above.

Panicle open; oblong; 20 cm long.

Racemes 6–7.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface. Rhachis hairs 6 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels linear; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs 6.8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 2-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface flat; glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 3 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined; ciliolate on margins; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 3 mm long. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2 mm long; hyaline. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex entire; awned. Principal lemma awn straight; 3 mm long overall. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Rajeshwari 2006.

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