GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Bhidea fischeri

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–8 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; membranous.

Racemes 1–2; single, or paired; 1–4 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; villous on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; cupuliform; with lobed rim. Raceme-bases filiform.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 3–4 mm long; villous; hairy on one margin.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number (lower raceme); 4 in upper raceme; barren; smaller than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet lower glume muticous.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas; lanceolate; asymmetrical; 10–12 mm long; as long as fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet callus square; truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; winged on keels; 7–9 -veined; awned; one glume awned.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 2–3 mm long; bearded; base acute; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; asymmetrical; 7–8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged narrowly; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 5–6 mm long; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex lobed; 3 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 6–8 mm long (winged).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 35–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 14–16 mm long; glabrous. Palea hyaline; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Nair 1993.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Internode tip strongly oblique, 1.5–2mm.

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