Hitchcockella

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Branch complement three, or several. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; scanty; with foliaceous subtending bracts; without axillary buds at base of spikelet.

Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9.96–14.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; chartaceous; 7 -veined; acuminate; awned. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; chartaceous; keeled; wingless; 13 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea chartaceous; 8 -veined. Palea keels approximate; pubescent. Palea surface pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 6. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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