Euclasta condylotricha

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 15–200 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–25 cm long; 2–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–15; digitate; drooping; arcuate; 2–5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse. Raceme-bases filiform; dichotomously branched; unequal (the longer measured); stiffly setose; hairy in axils.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; with a translucent median line (also present in internodes); ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2–6 in number (lower raceme); 2–6 in upper raceme; barren; 4–9 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes pilose.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; oblong; 4–9 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; distinctly veined; 10–17 -veined; pilose; acute. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface flat; pilose. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 20–40 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: India. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, and western South America.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTEA.

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