Tripogon purpurascens

Tripogon purpurascens Duthie, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. (Calcutta) 9(1): 74 (1901) (syn: Tripogon hookerianus Bor ; Tripogon jacquemontii var. submuticus Hook.f. ; Tripogon submuticus Hack. ex Hook.f. );
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Arabian Peninsula to N. Thailand: Afghanistan, East Himalaya, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, West Himalaya, Xinjiang, Yemen as per POWO;
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Common name: Himalayan Fiveminute Grass
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Densely tufted, forming tough clumps. Culms to 6cm, filifomr. Leaf blades 2-4cm, filiform (c. 0.3mm wide), inrolled, glabrous beneath, upper surface densely covered with short, appressed hairs and with longer cilia near margins; sheaths glabrous, with tufts of white cilia at apex; ligule c.0.14mm, truncate-fimbraite, with line of cilia (to 0.9) behind, at junction with leaf blade. Infl. 2.5-4.5cm, linear, spikelets scarcely overlapping. Spikelets purplish, c.4.4mm, floret 2. Lower glume c.2.2 x 0.3mm, narrowly triangular, symmetrical, very acute, keel minutely hispid; upper glume c.3.4 x 0.7mm, oblong-lanceolate, acute. Lowest floret: Lemma c.3 x 1mm, oblong-elliptic, apex minutely bifid,midrib minutely produced, not exceeding lateral lobes; palea c.2.6 x 0.5mm, nwrrowly oblong.
Flower: August
Steep gullies/ water courses (rapidly drying) on open, stony hillsides with poor grassland, 2200m.
(Attributions: H.J.Noltie in Flora of Bhutan, Volume 3 Part 2, 2000. Published by RBGE)
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Tripogon purpurascens: 4 images.
From Sushant More ji
from Masale, Maharashtra 421401

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Requesting ID of Poaceae member (Grass): 4 images- 1 high res.

I have been looking for the ID of this small grass for quite some time now.
Description: Small perennial grass, grows in dense clumps, stays dormant in winters, plant height with inflorescence 15cm, typical thin grass leaf with average length 5.5cm. 
Habitat: Mostly moist sandstone slopes, sun facing.
Date: March 2024
Place: Mandi & Hamirpur, H.P. 

Lolium perenne


I would like to share an update on this discussion, I was recently checking the description of the provided ID “Lolium perenne” but it didn’t match the plant I posted, I also compared the posted plant with a live specimen of local Lolium spp. but it has no match (picture attached below).
I then again tried to find the ID and compared the plant with some online herbarium specimens and found it matched with two species: Tripogon purpurascens and Oropetium roxburghianum. The description of Tripogon purpurascens is matching more accurately with the plant. I think it is Tripogon purpurascens which is also mentioned in state flora, a relevant paper is attached below for reference. Kindly validate this ID and apology for the delayed update from my side.

Tripogon purpurascens could be the right identity, especially with the habitat picture and dwarfness of panicle. Not Oropetium.
To compare with Lolium, kindly check if lower glume is present or not and also count the number of nerves on the lemma. If lower glume is present and lemmas are 3 nerved, then Tripogon is confirmed. In Lolium, lemma would be 5-nerved and lower glume would be absent.

 

 

 

 

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References:
POWO  Catalogue of Life  Flora of China  Flora of Pakistan Annotated checklist of Flowering plants of Nepal  India Flora Online Flowers of India  Bhutan Biodiversity Portal  India Biodiversity Portal