A new species of Chrysopogon (Poaceae: Andropogoneae) from India

A new species of Chrysopogon from the lateritic hillocks of Kannur District, Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. It closely resembles C. tadulingamii, but differs mainly in having sessile spikelets with a ciliate, short-awned upper glume and a short-awned upper lemma, pedicelled spikelets with 7-nerved, awned lower glume, a short 3-nerved awnless, retrorsely ciliate upper glume and a retuse or bifid upper lemma. The new species also resembles C . asper in some characters, but differs in having acicular or linear leaf blades, rounded leaf sheaths, and sessile spikelets with short-awned upper glume and upper lemma. A key for identification of species in Chrysopogon from Kerala is also provided.