Ischaemum yadavii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–45 cm long. Culm-nodes constricted; brown; glabrous, or pubescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths 5 cm long; keeled; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; pilose on abaxial surface; obtuse, or acute. Leaf-blades 4–8.5 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 6.5 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; appressed back to back; 3–3.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate; 3.5 mm long; flat and forming a U or V shape with the pedicel in rear view. Rhachis internode tip transverse; notched.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 1.5 mm long; ciliate; hairy on one margin.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4 mm long; shorter than fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; 4 mm long; keeled; winged on keels; 9 -veined; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; muticous.

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

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled all along; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged near apex; 10–11 -veined. Lower glume surface convex; rugose; rough on flanks. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged near apex; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 4.5 mm long; hyaline; winged on keel; 3 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 4 mm long. Fertile lemma oblong; 4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; winged on margins; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 11 mm long; glabrous. Palea lanceolate; 3 mm long; hyaline.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Gad & Janarth. 2007.

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