Ischaemum indicum

(Houtt.) Merr.
Common names: Indian murainagrass
Synonyms: Ischaemum ciliare
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 648.

Plants perennial, forming loose clumps. Culms 20-90 cm, decumbent, often rooting from the lower nodes; nodes antrorsely pilose; internodes glabrous. Leaves crowded towards the base; sheaths open, sparsely to densely pilose; ligules about 1 mm, membranous; blades 4-15 cm long, 3-8 mm wide, pilose on both surfaces. Inflorescence units with 2 rames; rames 3-5 cm long, 4-5 mm wide; internodes 3-4 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, slightly triquetrous. Sessile spikelets 4-5 mm long, 1.2-1.5 mm wide; calluses strigose; lower glumes coriaceous below, thickly membranous above, rough but not rugose, 5-7-veined, 2-keeled, keels narrowly winged; upper glumes 1-keeled, keels winged distally, awned, awns 1-1.5 cm; anthers 2-2.5 mm. Pedicels 2.5-3.5 mm, ciliate on the edges. Pedicellate spikelets slightly smaller than the sessile spikelets. 2n = 36.

Distribution

Md., Pacific Islands (Hawaii)

Discussion

Reed (1964) reported finding Ischaemum indicum growing on chrome ore piles in Canton, Maryland. This reported introduction has not been verified.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.