Ischaemum spathulatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 22–44 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2.5–6 cm long; 4–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; hispid; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2; paired; appressed back to back; unilateral; 3–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; angular; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes columnar; 2–3 mm long; flat and forming a U or V shape with the pedicel in rear view. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels columnar; angular; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of internode; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male, or bisexual; lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 4.5–6 mm long; without keels, or keeled (weakly); 7 -veined; pilose; acuminate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; 1-awned (on upper lemma).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–14 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 1 mm long; bearded; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled laterally; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface convex; pilose. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; 6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; membranous. Fertile lemma oblong; 4 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 14–16 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb scaberulous. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Andropogoneae. SAR 2013.

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