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Info
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Ischaemum = "to stop bleeding" [Greek] referencign supposed medical uses
Species etymology: polystachyum = "many spikes" [Latin] refering to the many inflorescence branches
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1962
Map
Inflorescence
Plant
Habit
Spikelets
Landscape
Node
Collar
Description
Perennial, rhizomatous. Culms loosely tufted, sometimes stoloniferous and rooting at lower nodes, 60–100 cm tall, nodes bearded or glabrous. Leaf sheaths glabrous or sparsely to densely pilose with tubercle-based hairs; leaf blades broadly linear, 5–20 × 0.5–1.5 cm, pubescent, rarely glabrescent, base rounded to subcordate, apex acute; ligule 1–2 mm. Racemes (2–)3–6 or more, mostly terminal, subdigitate, 2–9 cm; rachis internodes and pedicels broadly linear, triquetrous, ciliate on outer angle, shortly ciliate on inner angles. Sessile spikelet lanceolate, 4–5 × 1.2–1.4 mm; lower glume leathery with expanded rounded flanks below middle, herbaceous, strongly veined and sharply 2-keeled above, glabrous or villous, keels usually winged, apex 2-toothed; upper glume attenuate into mucro or awnlet to 2 mm; awn of upper lemma 1.2–1.5 cm. Pedicelled spikelet laterally compressed, similar to sessile, upper lemma awned.
(Description source: Wu, Z.Y., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.Y. (eds.). 2006. Flora of China. Volume 22. Poaceae. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. 733 pp. )