Anadelphia

HABIT Annual (9), or perennial (5). Culms erect (5/6), or geniculately ascending (1/6); 10–75.56–200 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent (13), or erect (1). Ligule an eciliate membrane (3), or a ciliolate membrane (11). Leaf-blades filiform (1), or linear (13); firm (12), or flaccid (2).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty (4), or linear (4), or paniculate (5), or fastigiate (1). Inflorescence composed of racemes (8), or comprising only a few spikelets (6); terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; exserted (6), or enclosed (8). Spatheole linear (13), or lanceolate (1); scarious. Peduncle expanded into a conical flask at apex (1/1).

Racemes single (8/8); bearing few fertile spikelets (8/8); bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each (5/8), or 3 fertile spikelets on each (3/8), or 4 fertile spikelets on each (4/8), or 5–6 fertile spikelets on each (2/8), or 7–10 fertile spikelets on each (1/8). Rhachis fragile at the nodes (8/8). Spikelet packing lax (8/8). Rhachis internodes filiform (8/8). Rhachis internode tip oblique (8/8).

Spikelets in pairs (8), or in threes (6). Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster (8), or 2 in the cluster (6). Pedicels filiform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels (8), or well-developed (11); separately deciduous (11/11). Companion sterile spikelet callus oblong (4/11), or cuneate (5/11), or linear (3/11). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (5/8), or mucronate (2/8), or awned (3/8).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (5), or lanceolate (10), or oblong (2); subterete (9), or dorsally compressed (5); 3.5–6.66–13 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief (2), or square (1), or oblong (1), or cuneate (6), or linear (5); pubescent (6), or pilose (6), or bearded (2); base truncate (1), or obtuse (4), or acute (2), or pungent (8); attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; chartaceous (4), or coriaceous (10); without keels; 4 -veined (1), or 5 -veined (2), or 6 -veined (11), or 7 -veined (13), or 8 -veined (2), or 9 -veined (1). Lower glume lateral veins obscure (9), or distinct (5). Lower glume surface convex (13), or with a longitudinal median groove (1); smooth (11), or asperulous (3); without pits; glabrous (11), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (1), or pilose (1). Lower glume apex entire (5), or dentate (9); 2 -fid (9/9); emarginate (1/5), or truncate (3/5), or obtuse (2/5); muticous (11), or mucronate (1), or awned (2). Upper glume lanceolate (1), or oblong (13); coriaceous (3/3); without keels; 1 -veined (5/9), or 2 -veined (4/9), or 3 -veined (8/9). Upper glume apex entire (10), or dentate (4); 2 -fid (3/4), or 3 -fid (1/4); emarginate (1/5), or truncate (1/5), or obtuse (1/5), or acute (2/5); muticous (3), or mucronate (1), or awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male (1), or barren (13); with palea (1), or without significant palea (13). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (2), or oblong (12); 1 length of fertile lemma; hyaline; 0 -veined (3), or 1 -veined (2), or 2 -veined (11); obtuse (2/2). Fertile lemma linear (11), or lanceolate (1), or oblong (2); hyaline (13), or membranous (1); without keel; wingless; 1 -veined (9/9). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins eciliate (13), or ciliate (1). Lemma apex dentate (2), or lobed (12); 2 -fid; incised 0.2–0.4068–0.8 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate (11), or bigeniculate (3). Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (3/3); fleshy (2/2); truncate (3/3). Anthers 3 (9/9).

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.