Dimeria veldkampii

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–18 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous; hairless throughout, or except near base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; not deciduous as a whole; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle straight.

Racemes 2; paired; watch-spring spiralled; unilateral; 2 cm long. Rhachis deciduous from axis (after spikelets fall); flattened; glabrous on surface; smooth on margins; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing lax; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels cuneate; flattened; 0.5 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 4.5–5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus square; 0.3 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; wingless. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 4.5–5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; wingless. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8–12 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–4.5 mm long. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.3 mm long. Anthers 2; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; laterally compressed; 1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Raj & Sivadasan 2009.

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