ROSTRARIA

Rostraria Trin., Fund. Agrost. 149. 1820; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 35. 1989; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 514; Lophochloa Reichb., Fl. Germ. Exc. 42. 1830; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 444. 1960; Jonsell in Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 5: 220. 1980.

Annuals. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, simple or sparsely branched. Leaf blades linear or lanceolate, flat, firm or flaccid; ligule eciliate membrane. Inflorescence an exserted panicle, contracted or spiciform. Spikelets solitary, pedicelled, pedicels oblong, (1-2-)3-5 (-10)-flowered, all alike and fertile, bisexual or the uppermost barren; rachilla extended beyond florets or not, rachilla pubescent or glabrous; spikelets laterally compressed, oblong, obovate or cuneate; breaking up at maturity, disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous or pubescent. Glumes persistent, subequal or unequal, shorter or equalling the spikelets, lanceolate or elliptic, mostly keeled, with hyaline margins, 1-3(-5)-nerved, glabrous, pubescent, pilose or villous, apex acute or acuminate. Lemmas broadly scarious, 3-5-nerved, mostly keeled, awned from the sinus; awn straight and scabrid. Palea gaping, hyaline, keeled, bifid, usually muticous. Lodicules 2. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though undeveloped.

12 species

Rostraria pumila

Rostraria pumila (Lam.) Tzvelev, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 7: 48. 1971; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 37. 1989; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 516; Lophochloa pumila (Desf.) Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 445. 1960.

Annual, tufted. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 5-30 cm long, 1-4-noded. Leaf blades linear-lanceolate, narrow, 3-7 cm x 1-3.5 mm, flat, flaccid, acuminate, pubescent on both surfaces, margin ciliate; leaf sheaths shorter than the internodes, pubescent; ligule short, 1-1.5 mm, membranous, truncate or obtuse, lacerate. Inflorescence a panicle, spiciform, oblong or ovate, continuous, sometimes interrupted, 2-6 cm x 4-5 mm, pale or dull green; panicle axis glabrous or puberulous; panicle branches pubescent. Spikelets solitary, pedicelled, pedicels oblong. Spikelets 3.5-4 mm long, laterally compressed, densely crowded, usually 4-5-flowered, all fertile, uppermost reduced. Rachilla extended beyond the uppermost floret; spikelets breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret; rachilla pilose. Glumes persistent, subequal, shorter than spikelet, 2.5-3 mm long, elliptic, apex acute, membranous; lower glume surface densely villous all over, without keels, 5-nerved; upper glume 1-keeled, 3-nerved, surface glabrous or hairy, if hairy then hairs usually on keels, rarely hairy all over. Lemmas elliptic, 3-3.5 mm long, membranous, much thinner on margins, keeled, 5-nerved, midnerve scaberulous, apex 2-fid, awned, awn dorsal, arising 0.75 way up back of lemma, 1.5-3 mm long, straight or slightly curved. Palea gaping, 1/2-2/3 length of lemma, hyaline, keeled, keels scaberulous. Lodicules 2. Stamens 3; anthers 0.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

Flowering and Fruiting: March to April, August to September
Common Names: Rough Cat’s Tail, Rough Tail, Tiny Bristle Grass