Neyraudia curvipes

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; robust; 200–300 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 30–40 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 30–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches profusely divided. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes glabrous. Floret callus evident; curved; 1 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; scarious to cartilaginous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; 1–2 mm long overall. Palea 3 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; isodiametric. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Malesia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Ohwi 2001.

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