Homozeugos

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (4), or short (2). Culms erect (1/1); slender (1/1); 30–110–200 cm long. Lateral branches lacking (1/1). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (2), or erect (4). Ligule an eciliate membrane (5), or a ciliolate membrane (1). Leaf-blades filiform (2), or linear (4), or lanceolate (1). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes single (3), or paired (2), or digitate (5); bearing 18–51 fertile spikelets on each (1/1). Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete. Rhachis internodes filiform (4), or linear (2). Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat.

Spikelets appressed (1/1); in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels filiform (4), or linear (2); tip oblique.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 5–11.28–18 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; pubescent (1), or pilose (5); base acute (1), or pungent (5); attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (1), or oblong (5); cartilaginous (1), or coriaceous (5); without keels; 5–6 -veined (1/5), or 7 -veined (2/5), or 8 -veined (3/5), or 9 -veined (2/5), or 10–11 -veined (1/5). Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous (1), or villous. Lower glume apex truncate (3), or obtuse (4). Upper glume linear (2/5), or lanceolate (2/5), or oblong (1/5); cartilaginous (1/5), or coriaceous (4/5); without keels (1/1); 3 -veined (4/4). Upper glume surface glabrous (3), or pilose (3), or villous (1). Upper glume apex obtuse (1/1).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear (3), or lanceolate (1), or elliptic (1), or oblong (4), or ovate (1); hyaline; 2 -veined; emarginate (1/4), or obtuse (1/4), or acute (3/4). Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; wingless; 1 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins eciliate (3), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (2). Lemma apex entire (1), or dentate (4), or lobed (1); 2 -fid (5/5); incised 0.33 of lemma length; acute (1/1); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical (1), or from a sinus (5); geniculate. Column of lemma awn glabrous (1), or hispidulous (2), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (1), or hirtellous (4). Palea present (3), or absent or minute (3); 0.1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (1/1). Anthers 3 (4/5), or 5 (1/5).

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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