Isachne sylvestris Ridl.

This species is recognized by the combination of broad leaf blades with hirsute sheaths and a glandular panicle of small spikelets.

Perennial. Culms ascending or decumbent, rooting at lower nodes, 35–65 cm tall, a brown glandular ring below each node. Leaf sheaths densely papillose-hirsute; leaf blades lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, 9–12 × 1.3–2.4 cm, abaxial surface puberulous to tomentose with scattered bristles, adaxial surface glabrous or setose, margins thickened and papillose-setose toward ligule, apex acute; ligule ca. 3 mm. Panicle elliptic in outline, 18–22 cm, glandular, many-spiculate; branches inserted singly, smooth. Spikelets elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 1.3–1.9 mm, grayish green or purple tinged; florets nearly similar, bisexual or rarely lower male and upper female; glumes equal or subequal to spikelet, 7-veined, papillose-hispidulous especially above middle, obtuse; lemmas leathery, lower lemma glabrous, flatter and slightly longer than upper; upper lemma pubescent. Fl. and fr. Aug–Dec.

Fujian, Guangdong [Bangladesh, NE India, Indonesia, Malaysia].

Valley grasslands; 500–800 m.

Isachne albens Trinius var. hirsuta J. D. Hooker; I. albens var. sylvestris (Ridley) Jansen; I. hirsuta (J. D. Hooker) P. C. Keng.