Pseudoxytenanthera bourdillonii (Gamble) H.B.Naithani

Oxytenanthera bourdillonii Gamble , Pseudotenanthera bourdillonii (Gamble) R.B Manjumdar
Common Name: Ponmungil(Tamil Nadu), Arambu (Kerala)

Habit
Culms : Tufted Height: 6-9.5m  Diameter:: 2.5cm  Culm Color:
Internode Length:   Culm Sheath Colour: 15-30 cm longand 15 cm broad, striate, glabrous except for a few stiffblack hairs below; imperfect blade triangular, 5-7.5 cm long,sharply mucronate, decurrent at the base into roundedrecurved entire wings lining the whole of the upper edge ofthe sheath; ligule faintly serrate

Length of Leaf: 15-22.5 cm  Breadth of Leaf : 2.5-3.5 cm  Leaf Shape: broad linear, lanceolate

Habitat:   Altitude: 900-1500m  Soil:

Native to:
Introduced to: Kerala

Description of Inflorescence and Flower: a large panicle of spicate branchlets bearingglobular heads of many spikelets, heads up to 5 cm diameter, rachis striate. Spikelets 14-16 mm long, 3-flowered mucronate; empty glumes 2, ovate, mucronate; flowering glumes long; palea2-keeled, terminal, rachilla ciliate, with a short setaceous imperfect flower; stamens exserted; anther apiculate; ovaryovoid acute; style hairy; stigmas 3, small, sub-plumose.
Flowering Cycle:   Flowering Reported:Kerala, Vazhachal(1983)

Propagation:

Uses: Toothpicks, combs, edible shoots

References: Seethalakshmi K. K ,1998