Themeda hookeri (Griseb.) A. Camus

This slender, upland species is recognizable by its few racemes, which usually arise singly from the upper leaf axils instead of being gathered into spathate clusters.

Perennial, with slender rhizomes. Culms very slender, decumbent at base, 20–60 cm tall. Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf blades 3–13 × 0.2–0.5 cm, scabrid, glabrous or thinly hispid with long, fine, tubercle-based hairs, apex filiform; ligule ca. 0.5 mm, ciliolate. Compound panicle sparse, composed of single racemes arising from upper leaf axils, usually subtended only by a spatheole without accompanying spathes; spatheoles linear, 3–6 cm, glabrous; peduncle glabrous. Raceme composed of 1–2 spikelet pairs and a terminal triad above the involucre of 2 homogamous pairs. Homogamous spikelets arising at different levels, staminate, 12–18 mm, lanceolate with narrow lateral wings, glabrous or thinly hispid. Sessile spikelet 4.5–5.5 mm; callus ca. 1.5 mm, narrowly cuneate; lower glume pallid, dorsally compressed, shortly pubescent especially near apex or subglabrous; awn 2.5–4 cm, weakly geniculate. Pedicelled spikelet 10–11 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Nov.

E. Himalaya (Nepal, Sikkim), W. China.

Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [India (Sikkim), Nepal].

2500-3000 m

Mountain slopes, rocky places, in the open or in shade; 1100–3400 m.

Anthistiria hookeri Grisebach, Nachr. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Georg-Augusts-Univ. 3: 91. 1868.