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Brachiaria distachya
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Family:
POACEAE/GRAMINEAE
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Citation: Brachiaria distachya (L.) Stapf in Prain, Fl. Trop. Africa 9: 565. 1919; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1769(1226). 1934; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 462. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 451. 1985; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 528. 1988; Sreek. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Kerala Grasses 219. 1991; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 528. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 447. 1995; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 832. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 339. 1999; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 823. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 954. 2009.
Panicum distachyon L., Mant. Pl. 2: 183. 1771.
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Malayalam Name(s):
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
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Description:
Annuals or perennials. Culms 12-40 cm long, creeping or decumbent, rooting at the nodes; nodes glabrous. Leaves 1-3.5 x 0.3-0.7 cm, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, rounded or shallowly cordate at base, softly hairy or glabrous; sheaths 1-2.5 cm, ciliate along one margin; ligule a tuft of hairs or fimbriate. Racemes 2 or rarely 3, 1.5-3 cm long, hairy or puberulous below the rachis; rachis flat, narrowly winged, scabrid, hirsute at axils. Spikelets 2-3 mm long, elliptic, solitary. Pedicels c. 0.5 mm, triquetrous, pilose. Lower glume 1-1.5 x 1.5-2 mm, obovate or broadly ovate, acute at apex, 7-9-nerved. Upper glume 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, broadly ovate, 5-7-nerved. Lower floret empty. Upper floret bisexual. First lemma c. 2 x 1 mm, 5-nerved. Palea c. 2 x 0.5 mm, oblong, hyaline, 2-nerved. Second lemma 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, ovate, coriaceous or crustaceous, rugulose. Palea 2-2.5 x 0.5-1 mm, ovate-oblong, coriaceous or crustaceous, 2-keeled, rugulose. Stamens 3; anthers c. 1 mm. Ovary c. 0.5 mm, elliptic; stigma 0.5-1 mm. Caryopsis to 1 mm, ovoid, compressed.
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Habit:
Herb
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Flowering & Fruiting:
May-June
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District(s):
Alappuzha, Kasaragode, Kollam, Idukki, Malappuram, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad, Kozhikkode
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Dry deciduous forests and wastelands
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Distribution:
Africa, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand
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Aquatic:
Yes
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Monocotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Champakkad, Baveli, Payyanur, Kariavattom, Kazhakkuttam, Kasaragod, Chavara, Alleppey town, Kayamkulam, Vaniampuzha, Karimpuzha, Nadugani ghats, Mammode, Kommadi
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