Isachne ligulata

HABIT Perennial. Culms rambling; 60–200 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–15 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 6–8 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches profusely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 1.7–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile florets with the lowest dissimilar. Lowest fertile lemma bisexual; elliptic; 1.7–2 mm long; thinner than adjacent lemma. Fertile lemma orbicular; 1.4–1.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea indurate; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Isachneae. WDC 1994.

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