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Acroceras munroanum
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Family:
POACEAE/GRAMINEAE
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Citation: Acroceras munroanum (Balansa) Henrard, Blumea 3: 445. 1940; Sreek. et al., Journ. Econ. Tax. Bot. 3: 267. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 458. 1984; Sreek. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Kerala Grasses 212. 1991; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 816. 2009.
Panicum munroanum Balansa in Morot, J. Bot. 4: 140. 1890.
Panicum latifolium Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 39. 1896,p.p.
Acroceras crassiapiculatum (Merr.) Alston, Trimen, Handb. Fl. Cey. 6(Suppl.): 324. 1931.
Panicum crassiapiculatum Merr., Phil. J. Sci. 1(Suppl.):356. 1906.
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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 creeping or geniculate, 30-75 cm long, rarely erect, often prostrate and rooting at the nodes, smooth and glabrous; nodes glabrous. Leaves lanceolate, 2-8 x 0.4-0.8 cm, glabrous on both surfaces or rarely ciliate on the rounded base, margins scabrid; sheaths 1-3 cm long, loose below, closely fitting above, striate, glabrous except for the outer margins which are always ciliate; ligules fimbriate, membranous. Inflorescence a panicle of 4-6 suberect, interruptedly spiciform racemes, 3-10 cm long, each raceme 2-4 cm long disposed on a short, central rhachis which is deeply channelled; branches hairy at the junction with the rhachis. Pedicels 1-6 mm long, trigonous, scabrid on the margins. Spikelets elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, c. 4 x 2 mm, bluntly apiculate; lower glumes ovate-lanceolate, c. 3 x 1.5 mm, chartaceous, 3-5 nerved, tip laterally compressed and thickened; upper glume elliptic or broadly ovate, c. 3.5 x 1.75 mm, acute, tip laterally compressed and thickened, chartaceous, 5-7-nerved. Lower floret empty. Upper floret bisexual; first lemma broadly ovate, c. 3.5 x 1.75 mm, apiculate, tip laterally compressed, chartaceous, 7-nerved; palea elliptic-lanceolate, c. 2 x 0.75 mm, delicate, 2-keeled, 2-nerved; second lemma elliptic or ovate, c. 3.25 x 1.5 mm, apiculate, tip laterally compressed and thickened, subcoriaceous, faintly 5-7-nerved, smooth, shining, glabrous except for a few hairs below the tip; palea elliptic, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, tip notched and reflexed, subcoriaceous, smooth, shining; lodicules 2, obovate, c. 0.25 x 0.15 mm, wavy at apex. Stamens 3, anthers c. 1 mm long. Ovary ovate, c. 0.3 x 0.15 mm; styles c. 0.75 mm long; stigmas c. 0.5 mm long, plumose. Grains ovate, c. 2 x 1.25 mm, blunt at both ends.
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Habit:
Herb
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Flowering & Fruiting:
March-November
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District(s):
Kollam, Alappuzha
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Sandy areas
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Distribution:
India
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Aquatic:
No
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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:
near Quilon, Kollam, Champakulam
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