Cyrtococcum trigonum

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms rambling; 5–15 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–4(–7) cm long; 2–6(–10) mm wide; membranous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; obovate; dense; 1–5 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or spreading. Panicle branches glabrous, or pilose (rarely).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; angular; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or ciliate (rarely).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; gibbous; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; gibbous; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; pubescent, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs; obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.3–1.8 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; with a little green crest. Palea reflexed at apex; involute; coriaceous; 2 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Pacific: southwestern and south-central. North America: Mexico. South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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