Fuirena ciliaris - Umbrella Grass

Umbrella Grass is an erect, clustered annual herb with stems 10-34 cm tall, slender, bluntly angular, 2-4-noded, velvet-hairy. Leaves are 2.5 - 9 x 0.3-0.6 cm, linear or linear-lanceshaped, base rounded, tip pointed, wholly velvet-hairy, 3-5-nerved, basal leaves reduced to bladless sheaths; sheaths to 2.5 cm long; ligules 1-2 mm long, hairy. Inflorescence consists of 1 to 3 glomerulous clusters of spikelets; clusters 1-2 cm across, bearing 4-10 spikelets; bracts leaf-like. Spikelets are 5-10 x 2.5 - 3.5 mm, ovate or oblong-elliptic, squarrose, velvet-hairy. Glumes spiral, 1.5-2 x 1 mm, oblong-obovate, velvet-hairy, 3-nerved; awn about 1 mm long, recurved. Hypogynous bristles 3, rough. Hypogynous scales 3, about 1 x 0.5 mm, longitudinally rectangular with 3-finely toothed tip, base long-stipitate. Umbrella Grass is found in Tropical Africa, Asia and Australia, including the Himalayas. Flowering: January-March.