Trachys narasimhanii

HABIT Annual. Stolons present. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Culms decumbent; 35–79 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes ridged. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths tight; with flat margins; 2–6 cm long; pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base truncate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or involute; 4–9 cm long; 7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy. Leaf-blade margins undulate; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 1–2 cm long; hirsute above.

Racemes 2; paired; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 2–9 cm long; secondarily branched (2 branchlets per internode); secondary branches glomerate (of 2–7 spikelets). Rhachis fragile at the nodes; broadly winged; herbaceous; with sharp-edged midrib; 1.2–2.2 mm wide. Rhachis internodes oblong; 7 mm long.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2–7 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 2–7 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; oblong; 4–5 mm long. Pedicels columnar; 1–2 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; ovate; dorsally compressed; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.5 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3.7 mm long; 0.5–0.8 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; yellow, or light green; 9–11 -veined; prominently veined; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret membranous; 0.3–0.5 mm long; pilose; adorned on flanks. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–3.2 mm long; 1–2 mm wide; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea lanceolate; 3–3.3 mm long; chartaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4–0.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long; yellow. Filaments 1.2–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis lanceolate, or oblong; 2–2.8 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Paniceae. Ravich. 2014.

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