Cymbopogon caesius (Hook. & Arn.) Stapf

Gramineae, T. A. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:4. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial; culms up to 200(300) cm high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves smooth, sometimes purplish; ligule 0.5–2(3) mm long, minutely dentate; laminas 9–37 cm × 7–28 mm wide, amplexicaul, cordate or rounded at the base, broader below and tapering to a very fine point at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence elongated and ± interrupted, 7.5–70 cm long, reddish. Racemes 11–20 mm long; internodes and pedicels pilose with silvery-white hairs, the lowermost swollen and fused together.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 3–5.5 mm long, glabrous; inferior glume with a V-shaped median groove, winged on the keels in the upper 1/2–1/3, entire or dentate at the apex; superior lemma linear, bifid to about the middle; awn delicate, 7–19.5 mm long, with a distinct column; anthers 1.4–2.6(3) mm long, straw-coloured.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet male, 3–4 mm long, longer than the sessile spikelet, glabrous. Sessile spikelet 3–5.5 mm long, glabrous; inferior glume with a V-shaped median groove, winged on the keels in the upper 1/2–1/3, entire or dentate at the apex; superior lemma linear, bifid to about the middle; awn delicate, 7–19.5 mm long, with a distinct column; anthers 1.4–2.6(3) mm long, straw-coloured.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet male, 3–4 mm long, longer than the sessile spikelet, glabrous.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial, the basal sheaths soon falling away; culms wiry, 30–120 cm. high, arising from a dense leafy tussock or rambling from a knotty rootstock, without stilt roots.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades linear, 5–30 cm. long, 1.5–8(–10) mm. wide, smooth, glaucous, hard, the base attenuate to rounded; ligule membranous, 1–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

False panicle linear to oblong, 5–20(–30) cm. long; racemes 10–15 mm. long, the lowermost internode and pedicel connate and swollen.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 3–4.5 mm. long; lower glume firmly membranous, narrowly winged, shallowly concave on the back with a V-shaped median groove towards the base, without oil streaks and intercarinal nerves or these obscure and confined to the tip; upper lemma bifid to the middle, the awn 6–15 mm. long with a distinct column.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly lanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, with clear closely spaced nerves. Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 3–4.5 mm. long; lower glume firmly membranous, narrowly winged, shallowly concave on the back with a V-shaped median groove towards the base, without oil streaks and intercarinal nerves or these obscure and confined to the tip; upper lemma bifid to the middle, the awn 6–15 mm. long with a distinct column.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly lanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, with clear closely spaced nerves.

Figures

Fig. 179.

Habitat

Wooded grassland, deciduous bushland and open grassland, the soil varying from stony hillsides to black clay plains; 0–2300 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T5 T7 U1 U2 eastern Africa from the Sudan and Yemen to South Africa

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Tufted wiry perennial up to 120 cm high

Morphology Leaves Ligules

Ligule membranous, 1–4 mm long

Morphology Leaves

Leaves rounded at the base, up to 8(–10) mm wide, glaucous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

False panicle linear to oblong, 5–20(–30) cm long; racemes 10–15 mm long, the lowermost internode and pedicel connate and swollen

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, with clear closely spaced nerves. Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 3–4.5 mm long; lower glume firmly membranous, narrowly to broadly winged, shallowly concave on the back and with a V-shaped groove in the lower 1/3–1/2, without intercarinal nerves (or these obscure and confined to the tip) or oil-streaks; awn of upper lemma 6–15 mm long, with distinct column

Distribution

N1; S3 Sudan and Arabia (Yemen) through eastern Africa to South Africa; India & Sri Lanka

Vernacular

Sandul (Somali).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose; clumped moderately, or densely. Rootstock not evident, or evident. Butt sheaths withering. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending, or rambling; 30-120 cm long; without nodal roots. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-4 mm long; membranous. Leaf-blade base simple. Leaf-blades linear; 5-30 cm long; 1.5-8(-10) mm wide; coriaceous; glaucous; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Synflorescence compound; linear, or paniculate; 5-20(-30) cm long; dense, or lax. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; 1-2 cm long; herbaceous. Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 1-1.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 0.5-1 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 2.5-3 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform. Raceme-bases flattened; subequal; 0.5-1.5 mm long; pubescent, or pilose. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; semiterete; ciliate.

Sterile

Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme; sessile and pedicelled. Basal sterile spikelet pedicels fused to internode in lower raceme; swollen in lower raceme. Basal sterile spikelets equalling fertile. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 3-5 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; distinctly veined; 7 -veined; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme; sessile and pedicelled. Basal sterile spikelet pedicels fused to internode in lower raceme; swollen in lower raceme. Basal sterile spikelets equalling fertile. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 3-5 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; distinctly veined; 7 -veined; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without oil streaks (or obscure); 2-keeled; keeled laterally; winged on keel; winged narrowly. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface with V-shaped depression. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled; 1-3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear; 2-4 mm long; hyaline. Fertile lemma linear, or lanceolate; 3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6-15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

Distribution

Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

Reference

Andropogoneae. FTEA 1997.