Entoplocamia

HABIT Annual. Culms 40–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; oblong, or globose; unilateral. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 3–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 9–17 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; chartaceous; 5–10 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma orbicular; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; wingless; 9–13 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins pilose. Lemma apex cuspidate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn pungent. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; ciliolate. Palea surface pilose. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules absent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid.

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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