Isachne humicola

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 22–30 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4.5–8 cm long; 3.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous; ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 2.5–3 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.2–0.8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; 1.3–1.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or obovate; 1.3–1.4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy above. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic, or obovate; 1.3–1.4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy above. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or obovate; 1–1.2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pilose; hairy above. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Isachneae. Camus 2007.

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