Fillipedium Raizada S.K. Jain. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 49: 682. 1951; Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 814: 775-783. 1994.
From Latin
capillus, “the hair” and pes, pedis “foot”, referring to the spikelets, pedicels and base are ciliate, or alluding to the spikelets borne on capillary panicle
branches.
About 14 species, Eastern Africa, tropical Asia, New Caledonia, Australia. Plants annual or perennial, erect and slender, sometimes decumbent or caespitose,
rambling, usually scented or sometimes aromatic, tufted, stout, herbaceous. Nodes bearded or hairly. Auricle absent. Ligule membraneous and more or less fringed.
Plants bisexual, elongate inflorescence; a panicle open with capillary branchlets, racemes short on slender and glandular branches; panicle branches bearing short
racemes of 1-8 sessile spikelets, terminal spikelets in triplets; sessile spikelets with 1 fertile floret and 1 sterile lemma; pedicellate spikelets flattened, short racemes often
reduced to triads. Glumes 2, more or less equal. Upper glume boat-shaped or naviculate. Lower glume 2-keeled. Palea absent. Lodicule free and fleshy. Stamen 3.
Ovary glabrous. Stigma 2. Ornamental, weeed species, essential oil with antibacterial efficacy, found in
open grassy places.
Key to the Species
1.a. Culms decumbent, more than 150 cm long; racemes bearing few fertile spikelets; sterile spikelets longer than fertile spikelets ….
………………………………………………….14.1. Capillipedium assimile b. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending, less than 150 cm long; racemes bearing a
triad of spikelets; sterile spikelets shorter than fertile spikelets ……………………………………………..14.2. Capillipedium parviflorum
14.1. Capillipedium assimile Steud. A. Camus. Fl. Indo.-Chine 7: 314. 1922.
Andropogon assimilis Steud. ex Zoll. Syst. Verz. 58. 1854. Andropogon subrepens Steud. Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 397. 1854.
Chrysopogon glaucopsis W. Watson. Himalayan Districts N.W. Prov. India 10: 392. 1882.
Capillipedium subrepens Steud. Henrard. Blumea 33: 463. 1940. Bothriochloa assimilis Steud. ex Zoll. Ohwi. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 113:
165. 1942. Bothriochloa picta Ohwi. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 113: 165. 1942.
Dichanthium assimile Steud. ex Zoll. Deshp. Fasc. Fl. India 15: 6. 1984.
Plants perennial. Culms up to 300 cm long, decumbent, rooting from lower nodes. Nodes bearded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Blades 6-20 cm by 3-6 mm, base
tapering to the midrib, linear. Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Panicle 5-12 cm long, primary branches whorled at lower nodes. Racemes
bearing 2-6 fertile spikelets. Spikelets in pairs: fertile spikelets sesssile, 1 in cluster; companion sterile spikelets pedicelled, 1in cluster. Pedicels linear with a translucent
median line. Fertile spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets, 1 fertile florets, without rachilla extension, oblong, 2 mm long, falling entire; callus pubescent, base obtuse,
attached transversely. Glumes dissimilar, exceeding apex of florets, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume as long as spikelets, oblong, membraneous, 2-keeled, surface
concave, scabrous, glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume ovate, 1-keeled, 3-nerved, primary nerve scaberulous. Florets: basal sterile florets barren, without significant
palea, lemma hyaline, oblong, without nerve and midnerve. Fertile lemma linear, hyaline, without keel, 1-nerved, apex entire, acute, 1-awned, principal awn 6-12 mm
long, geniculate, with twisted awn. Palea absent. Anthers 3.
Notes
Found in China, Japan, India, Indo-China, and Malesia.
Distribution at Sulawesi
South: Bulu Tanah, Lombasang, Alt. 750 m 950 m; Pasoei, Rantelemo, Alt. 600 m; Bulu Parigi, Tanete, Alt. 560 m.
Habitat
Streams, forests, or mountain slopes.
Specimen examined
Bunnemeijer 11539, 11063, 10986, 3021, 12505 BO; Kjellberg 3021 BO.
14.2. Capillipedium parviflorum R. Br. Stapf. Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 169. 1917.
