Ottochloa nodosa


Native to: Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cameroon, Central African Repu, China South-Central, China Southeast, Congo, Gabon, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, New Guinea, Northern Territory, Philippines, Queensland, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Western Australia, Zaïre as per POWO;

Perennials. Culms 25-80 cm long, creeping, rooting at the lower nodes. Leaves 3-11 x 0.6-1.3 cm, elliptic-lanceolate, base rounded, apex acuminate; sheaths to 4 cm long, ciliate along one margin; ligules narrow, membranous. Panicles 6-14 cm long, lax; racemens 5-10, alternate, opposite, each 1-8 cm long. Spikelets 3-4 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate. Lower glume to 1.5 x 1 mm, ovate-lanceolate, 3-5-nerved. Upper glume 1.5-2 x 1 mm, elliptic-lanceolate, 7-nerved. Lower floret barren, epaleate. Upper floret bisexual. First lemma 3-4 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate. Second lemma c.3 x 1.5 mm, elliptic, subcoriaceous. Palea 2-3 x 1 mm, elliptic, subcoriaceous, 2-keeled. Stamens 3; anthers yellow. Stigmas purple.

Flowering and fruiting: July-December
Margins of forests and banks of streams
India, Sri Lanka and South East Asia
(Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi as per India Biodiversity Portal)


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PLANT IDENTIFICATION : 5 posts by 2 authors.

I would like to know the name of this plant I found growing on the cracks of a rock wall. I apologize for the pictures not being clear enough. The plant grows about 12 inches in length and has narrow grass like leaves and pink stems which eventually turn green. There is one special feature about this plant which intrigued me. I believe it has a jelly like substance at the tip of the pink stems. When it rains the substance at the tip imbibes water and forms a transparent sphere which very much resembles a raindrop. I do not have any pictures as I had clicked the photos in summer where there was not much rain. Another information that I think would help is that this plant grows in Kerala, it thrives in humid and rainy areas. Your help would be much appreciated Sir. 

I think better images are required.

This is Arthraxon sp. …,

Could be A. hispidus,

This one is Ottochloa nodosa. There are other grass species also which are seen on such walls having hanging adventitious roots which on guttation secretes a viscous fluid which look like a rain drop. Its is commonly called “Pullenna” in malayalam meaning “Grass Oil”. People also use it locally as a eyedrop and is believed to increase brightness of eyes and improved eyesight (https://images.app.goo.gl/WEG98EwYTfHfxNFq5).

Another common grass commonly found on such walls is Ischaemum zeylanicolum which also shows this feature of guttation from root tips. 

 

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