Leptochloa

HABIT Annual (14), or perennial (26). Rhizomes absent (34), or short (1), or elongated (2). Stolons absent (35), or present (2). Culms erect (19/28), or geniculately ascending (8/28), or decumbent (9/28); 10–81.97–270 cm long; firm (36), or wiry (1); without nodal roots (1/5), or rooting from lower nodes (5/5). Culm-internodes terete (4/4), or elliptical in section (2/4). Culm-nodes constricted (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (10/14), or sparse (9/14), or ample (2/14). Ligule an eciliate membrane (26), or a ciliolate membrane (6), or a ciliate membrane (4), or a fringe of hairs (1). Leaf-blades persistent, or deciduous at the ligule (1); filiform (1), or linear (34), or lanceolate (4), or oblong (1); herbaceous (36), or coriaceous (1); stiff (3), or firm (33), or flaccid (1); without exudate (36), or viscid (1). Leaf-blade midrib widened (2/2). Leaf-blade apex muticous (36), or pungent (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (36), or terminal and axillary (1); exserted (35), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (2).

Racemes digitate (2), or borne along a central axis (35); erect (5), or ascending (34), or spreading (6), or deflexed (1); unilateral. Rhachis semiterete (30/30). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded (3), or contiguous (28), or lax (9); 2 -rowed (27/27). Raceme-bases brief (36), or filiform (1).

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs (1). Fertile spikelets sessile (27), or pedicelled (16). Pedicels filiform (3/6), or linear (2/6), or oblong (2/6).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–5–15 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension (2), or with a barren rhachilla extension (2), or with diminished florets at the apex (33). Spikelets elliptic (15), or oblong (23), or ovate (1); laterally compressed; 1–4.618–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite (34/34). Floret callus brief (35), or evident (2); glabrous (2/8), or sparsely hairy (1/8), or pubescent (5/8), or bearded (1/8), or woolly (1/8).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (35), or reaching apex of florets (1), or exceeding apex of florets (3). Lower glume linear (2), or lanceolate (24), or oblong (4), or ovate (10); 0.3–0.7519–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels (1), or 1-keeled (36); 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous (2); without pits. Lower glume apex obtuse (5/36), or acute (28/36), or acuminate (10/36); muticous (36), or mucronate (1), or awned (1). Upper glume lanceolate (12), or elliptic (8), or oblong (12), or ovate (8), or obovate (2); 0.5–0.9287–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels (1), or 1-keeled (36); 1 -veined, or 2–3 -veined (1). Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous (2). Upper glume apex emarginate (3/34), or truncate (1/34), or obtuse (13/34), or acute (22/34), or acuminate (6/34), or cuspidate (1/34); muticous (32), or mucronate (6).

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic (9), or oblong (27), or ovate (10), or obovate (1); membranous; without keel (6), or keeled (31); wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness (34), or scaberulous (1), or scabrous (2); eciliate (17), or ciliate (4), or pubescent (18). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/1); less than two thirds length of lemma (1/1). Lemma surface smooth (35), or scaberulous (1), or scabrous (1); unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (30), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (5), or villous (1); hairy on back (5/7), or on veins (3/7). Lemma margins eciliate (4), or ciliolate (6), or ciliate (5), or pubescent (21), or pilose (2), or villous (1). Lemma apex entire (28), or dentate (14); 2 -fid (14/14); emarginate (16/32), or truncate (3/32), or obtuse (12/32), or acute (7/32), or acuminate (4/32); muticous (24), or mucronate (14), or awned (7); 1 -awned (7/7). Principal lemma awn apical (17/19), or from a sinus (2/19). Palea 0.66–0.9017–1 length of lemma; hyaline (2), or membranous (35); 2 -veined (36/36). Palea keels smooth (31), or scaberulous (3), or scabrous (3); eciliate (20), or puberulous (5), or pubescent (1), or ciliolate (10), or ciliate (1). Palea surface glabrous (30), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (5). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (33/33).

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (7/7); fleshy (6/6). Anthers 2 (2/20), or 3 (18/20).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (27/35), or tardily free pericarp (1/35), or free soft pericarp (7/35); ellipsoid (13/18), or oblong (9/18), or ovoid (2/18), or obovoid (1/18); isodiametric (8/12), or laterally compressed (1/12), or dorsally compressed (1/12), or flattened (2/12); biconvex (1/11), or plano-convex (2/11), or concavo-convex (3/11), or trigonous (5/11); rugose (2/2). Embryo 0.5–0.55–0.6 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Africa (13), or Temperate Asia (6), or Tropical Asia (12), or Australasia (9), or Pacific (6), or North America (10), or South America (12).

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