Tarigidia axelrodii (Tarigidia axelrodii)

Description

HABIT Annual.Culms decumbent;50 cm long;1–2.3 mm diam.;rooting from lower nodes.Culm-nodes brown;glabrous.Leaf-sheaths 3.5–6 cm long;hirsute;with tubercle-based hairs.Ligule an eciliate membrane;2–2.7 mm long;erose;truncate.Leaf-blades lanceolate;6.3–8.5 cm long;5.5–7 mm wide;chartaceous.Leaf-blade surface scabrous;rough on both sides.Leaf-blade apex acuminate. INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.Peduncle 35 cm long;glabrous. Racemes 4–5(–8);borne along a central axis;closely spaced;appressed;unilateral;3–4 cm long.Central inflorescence axis (1–)3–4.5 cm long.Rhachis narrowly winged;angular;0.6–1 mm wide;scabrous on margins.Spikelet packing crowded. Spikelets in pairs.Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.Pedicels 0.3–1 mm long;scabrous. FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets;1 fertile florets;without rhachilla extension.Spikelets elliptic;dorsally compressed;4.5–5 mm long;1.2–1.3 mm wide;falling entire. GLUMES Glumes dissimilar;shorter than spikelet;thinner than fertile lemma.Lower glume linear,or lanceolate;(0.5–)1–1.5(–2.5) mm long;0.25 length of spikelet;membranous;without keels;1–3 -veined.Lower glume lateral veins absent,or obscure.Lower glume surface glabrous,or pilose.Lower glume apex acuminate.Upper glume lanceolate;3–3.5 mm long;0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma;membranous;without keels;3 -veined.Upper glume surface pilose;hairy between veins.Upper glume margins ciliate.Upper glume apex acute. FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren;without significant palea.Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic;1 length of spikelet;membranous;7 -veined;prominently veined;with unevenly spaced veins;pilose;hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous;acute.Fertile lemma lanceolate;4 mm long;1 mm wide;cartilaginous;much thinner on margins;yellow;without keel;3 -veined.Lemma surface striate;without germination flap.Lemma margins flat.Lemma apex apiculate.Palea 2.3–2.7 mm long;cartilaginous. FLOWER Lodicules 2;truncate.Anthers 3;1.8–1.9 mm long;yellow.Stigmas purple;plumose.Ovary glabrous. FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp;ellipsoid;2.2–2.4 mm long.Embryo 0.6 length of caryopsis.Hilum punctiform.