Ischaemum ciliare Retz., Observ. Bot. 6: 36 (1791) (syn: Andropogon aesthenos Steud. ; Andropogon asthenos Steud. ; Andropogon bifidus Steud. ; Andropogon macraei Steud. ; Andropogon malacophyllus Hochst. ex Steud. ; Andropogon patentivillosus Steud. ; Andropogon ramosus Blanco ; Andropogon retzii Steud. ; Andropogon simillimus Steud. ; Ischaemum apricum Ridl. ; Ischaemum aristatum var. wallichii (Hack.) Bor ; Ischaemum ciliare var. longipilum Hack. ; Ischaemum ciliare var. malacophyllum (Hochst. ex Steud.) Hack. ; Ischaemum ciliare var. prorepens Hack. ; Ischaemum ciliare var. scrobiculatum Hack. ; Ischaemum ciliare var. villosum (Nees) Hack. ; Ischaemum ciliare var. wallichii Hack. ; Ischaemum indicum var. breviaristatum H.R.Zhao ; Ischaemum indicum var. guandongense H.R.Zhao ; Ischaemum indicum var. longipilum (Hack.) Davidse ; Ischaemum indicum subvar. longipilum (Hack.) Bor ; Ischaemum indicum var. malacophyllum (Hochst. ex Steud.) Ohwi ; Ischaemum indicum subvar. malacophyllum (Hochst. ex Steud.) Bor ; Ischaemum indicum var. scrobiculatum (Hack.) R.Kr.Singh & P.S.N.Rao ; Ischaemum indicum subvar. scrobiculatum (Hack.) Bor ; Ischaemum indicum var. togasii Ohwi ; Ischaemum indicum var. villosum (Nees) R.Kr.Singh & P.S.N.Rao ; Ischaemum indicum subvar. villosum (Nees) Bor ; Ischaemum indicum var. wallichii (Hack.) R.Kr.Singh & P.S.N.Rao ; Ischaemum indicum subvar. wallichii (Hack.) Bor ; Ischaemum longipilum (Hack.) Alston ; Ischaemum scrobiculatum Wight & Arn. ex Steud. ; Ischaemum tenellum Roxb. ; Meoschium ciliare (Retz.) P.Beauv. ; Phleum indicum var. wallichii (Hack.) Bor ; Spodiopogon inaequalivalvis Nees ex Steud. ; Spodiopogon obliquivalvis Nees ; Spodiopogon obliquivalvis var. villosus (Nees) Benth. ; Spodiopogon scrobiculatus Nees ex Steud. ; Spodiopogon villosus Nees ; Spodiopogon zeylanicus Nees ex Steud. );
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Indian Subcontinent to S. China and W. Malesia: Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laccadive Is., Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maldives, Maryland, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam; Introduced into: Cameroon, Gulf of Guinea Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion as per POWO;
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Common name: Indian Muraina Grass, Batiki bluegrass, Smut grass
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Ischaemum ciliare images: 5 high res. images.
From Sushant ji at Thane, Maharashtra.
At Badlapur, Maharashtra to be more precise
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Ischaemum ciliare: 7 images.
Please help ID this plant – it is a species of grass that only grows 10-20 cm tall.
The specialty is that they have long white strands growing from the nodes. And these strands will retain water almost like a jelly.
Photograph was taken in Kerala, Ernakulam district in August. When it is not raining, the white strands will be dry.
Such nodal adventitious roots with dense liquid drops at the tips are found in a few species of grasses growing on mud walls in Kerala and many other places in high rainfall areas in the west coast of India. The grass in this picture is Ischaemum ciliare.
These drops are called ‘Pullenna’ meaning ‘grass oil’ in Malayalam and are also applied to eyes and believed to brighten vision. I am not sure whether these are water trapped by the root hairs at the tip of these adventitious roots or whether they are a result of guttation of plant sap exuded from the root hairs.
Thank you very much, … That’s a beautiful explanation:)
We used to apply them to our eyes as kids. And now, I was thinking that it was stupid to apply random grass to the eyes. Good to know that there was some science behind it.
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Grass ID: Dimeria?: 3 images.
Sandstone, Bhopal, Oct 2024
Microstegium ??
Ischaemum ciliare
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Need tiny grass ID: 3 images.
Sandstone Bhopal Oct 2024
Ischaemum ciliare
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Need ID: Ischaemum: 3 images.
Tadoba, Oct 2024
Ischaemum ciliare
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Need Grass ID: I. ciliare?: 4 images.
Tadoba, Oct 2024
Yes it is Ischaemum ciliare
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References:
POWO Catalogue of Life GBIF (High resolution specimens) Flora of China FOC illustration Flora of peninsular India India Flora Online Flowers of India India Biodiversity Portal Useful Tropical Plants Plant Net Cirad
Indian Murainagrass Ischaemum ciliare (Poaceae), a new record for the flora of Telangana State, India– July 2021 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY 8(7):17681-17685 (Abstract: Ischaemum ciliare Retz., was collected from Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, Warangal district Telangana, India and reported as an addition to the Flora of Telangana. The detailed description and photo plats are provided for easy identification)
