Farrago

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; in a unilateral false spike; appressed; lanceolate; bearing a triad of spikelets. Central inflorescence axis flattened. Rhachis deciduous from axis; subterete.

Spikelets appressed; in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by awns; deciduous with the fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex truncate; awned. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; hyaline; without keel; wingless; 0 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex truncate. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; biconvex.

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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