Perotis Aiton, Hort. Kew. 1: 85. 1789; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 7: 98. 1897; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 611. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 99. 1989; Chen & Phillips, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 498; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 147.

Annuals, sometimes perennial. Leaf blades short, broad, base slightly cordate, margins often pectinate-ciliate; ligule a membranous rim. Inflorescence a cylindrical bottlebrush-like spiciform raceme of long-awned solitary spikelets borne directly on central axis; rachis densely bearing short pegs after falling of spikelets. Spikelets single, all alike, linear-elliptic or linear-lanceolate, with or without a stipitate basal callus, terete or slightly laterally compressed, with 1 floret. Glumes subequal, narrowly lanceolate, membranous, 1-nerved, each tipped by along slender awn (that of lower glume usually the longer) much longer than the body of spikelet. Lemma 1/3-1/2 as long as spikelet, lanceolate, hyaline, 1-nerved. Palea hyaline, smaller than lemma. Stamens 3. Caryopsis linear-lanceolate, almost as long as the glumes at maturity.

10 species

Perotis hordeiformis Nees in Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey Voy. 248. 1838; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 611. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 100. 1989; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 499; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 148; P. birmanica Gand., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 66: 301. 1920; P. glabrata Steud., Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 186. 1854.

Annual, loosely tufted with erect or ascending culms, 10-40 cm tall. Leaf blades narrowly ovate or lanceolate, 2-4(-6) cm x 0.4-0.8(-1) cm, glabrous, margin ciliolate; leaf sheaths shorter than internodes, glabrous; ligules very minute, 0.5 mm, membranous ridge. Inflorescence a cylindrical bottlebrush-like dense spiciform raceme, 5-20 cm long; rachis scabrous. Spikelets sessile or shortly pedicelled, solitary, all alike, oftenly densely packed, ascending or spreading horizontally, 2-2.5 mm long (excluding awns), narrowly linear or lanceolate scaberulous, 1-flowered; falling entire; spikelet callus 0.1-0.2 mm, obtuse, persistent. Glumes equal or subequal, far exceeding floret, narrowly lanceolate, membranous, 1-nerved, without keels, back scaberulous-hirtellous in indistinct close rows, midnerve pectinate-ciliolate, apex abruptly acute, clearly demarcated from awn, awn up to 1.5 cm long, awn of lower glume longer than of upper glume. Lemma ca. 1 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, hyaline, without keel, 1-nerved, apex acute. Palea narrow, about as long as or slightly shorter than lemma, hyaline, without nerve and keels. Stamens 3. Caryopsis linear-lanceolate, almost as long as the glumes at maturity, with adherent pericarp.

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