Coelachyrum lagopoides

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms decumbent; 7–18 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1.2–5 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–8; digitate; closely spaced; in a head; oblong; unilateral; 0.4–0.6 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–9 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma hairs 0.5 mm long. Lemma apex cuspidate; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth; ciliate; adorned below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ovoid; flattened; concavo-convex; 1.2 mm long; dark brown, or red; rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Senaratna.

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