Observ. Bot. 6: 36 (1791).- Type: China (holo- LD).
Ischaemum indicum auct. FWTA: 476 (1972); Poilecot : 512, fig. (1995); not I. indicum (Houtt.) Merrill (= Polytrias indica (Houtt.) Veldkamp).
Regional litterature: Gram. Cameroun: 419, fig. 92 (1992).
Description:
* Lax perennial of 0.2-0.5 m tall. Culms weak, geniculately ascending and rooting on the lower nodes, often a rambling base, branched. Leaves linear lanceolate, 5-25 cm long and 3 -8 mm wide; a shortly ciliated membrane; sheaths hairy, especially the basal ones.
* Inflorescence terminal, composed of 2 digitate racemes. Racemes 3-8 cm long with a fragile rhachis and internodes and pedicels ciliate, subequal, clavate.
* Sessile spikelets fertile, narrowly elliptic, 4-6 mm long including callus. Lower glumes coriaca, 2-keeled above and incurved towards the base, convex glabrous to villous, usually bidentate. Lower floret male with a hyaline lemma and 2-keeled palea; upper lemma with a 2-lobed tip and an awn of 5-14 mm long from thesinus. Pedicelled spikelets laterally compressed, geniculately awned from the upper lemma.
Note: Asiatic species.
Distribution West Africa: Liberia, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: S and E Asia.