Dichanthium caricosum

Dichanthium caricosum (L.) A.Camus, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 27: 549 1921. (Syn: Andropogon annulatus var. subrepens Hack.; Andropogon binatus Roxb. [Illegitimate]; Andropogon caricosus L.; Andropogon curvatus Russell ex Wall. [Invalid]; Andropogon depressus Steud.; Andropogon filiformis Pers.; Andropogon serratus Retz. [Illegitimate]; Andropogon tenellus Roxb.; Apocopis pallida Hook.f.; Dichanthium caricosum var. theinlwinii (Bor) de Wet & Harlan; Dichanthium pallidum (Hook.f.) Stapf ex C.E.C.Fisch.; Dichanthium theinlwinii Bor; Heteropogon concinnus Thwaites; Heteropogon tenellus (Roxb.) Schult.; Lepeocercis serrata Trin.; Sorghum caricosum (L.) Kuntze);

Perennials. Culms 10-100 cm long, erect or decumbent, sometimes stoloniferous, nodes bearded or glabrous. Leaves lanceolate, 2-20 x 0.2-0.4 cm. Ligules ovate, acute, membranous. Racemes usually solitary, rarely 2-3, 2-6 cm long, joints 1-1.5 mm long. Sessile spikelets obovate, 3-3.5 mm long; callus hairy; lower glume obovate, 3-4 x 1.5-2 mm, obtuse, subcoriaceous, 7-9 nerved, narrowly winged towards apex, margins ciliate; upper glume lanceolate, 3-3.5 x 1 mm, subcoriaceous, keeled on dorsal side; lower floret empty; upper floret bisexual; first lemma ovate-lanceolate, 2-3 x 1 mm, delicate, hyaline, glabrous; second lemma stipitate, 1-2 mm long hyaline base of the awn, awn 12-20 mm long, column 5-6 mm. Stamens 3, anthers 1-1.5 mm long; ovary oblong, 0.25-0.5 mm, styles 0.5-1 mm long, stigmas 1-1.5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets obovate, 3-4 mm long, unawned; pedicels 1-1.5 mm long; lower glume oblong or obovate, 3-4 x 1.5-2 mm, subcoriaceous or chartaceous, 13-15 nerved, minutely winged towards apex; upper glume ovate-lanceolate, 3-4 x 1.5 mm, delicate, 3-nerved, margins hyaline, ciliate; florets male or empty.

Flowering and fruiting: February-May

Dry grasslands

Indo-Malesia

(Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi From India Biodiversity Portal)
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