Melinis

HABIT Annual (5/21), or perennial (17/21). Culms erect (6), or geniculately ascending (8), or decumbent (10), or rambling (2); slender (4/4); 10.64–61.69–150 cm long; firm (19), or wiry (3); rooting from lower nodes (5/5). Culm-internodes terete (1/1). Lateral branches ample (2/2). Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform (1), or linear (19), or lanceolate (2); stiff (1), or firm (21); without exudate (18), or viscid (4); without scent (21), or aromatic (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (21), or composed of racemes (1); exserted (21), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (1).

Panicle open (19/21), or contracted (2/21).

Racemes borne along a central axis (1/1); unilateral (1/1).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (1), or pedicelled (21). Pedicels filiform (5/5).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (1), or lanceolate (1), or oblong (19), or ovate (4); laterally compressed; symmetrical (11), or gibbous (11); 1–3.2–12 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile floret (15), or elongated between glumes (7), or elongated below basal sterile floret (1).

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure (6), or two (16); reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong (14/16), or ovate (4/16); hyaline (7/16), or membranous (9/16); without keels (16/16); 0 -veined (14/16), or 1 -veined (10/16). Lower glume lateral veins absent (16/16). Lower glume surface without pits (16/16); glabrous (10/16), or pubescent (3/16), or pilose (4/16), or villous (2/16). Lower glume apex emarginate (6/16), or truncate (6/16), or obtuse (8/16), or acute (2/16). Upper glume elliptic (2), or oblong (19), or ovate (1); not gibbous (11), or gibbous (11); membranous (11), or chartaceous (7), or coriaceous (4); without keels; 5 -veined (12), or 6 -veined (3), or 7 -veined (12), or 9 -veined (1). Upper glume lateral veins without ribs (21), or ribbed (2). Upper glume surface smooth (21), or scabrous (1); glabrous (12), or pubescent (9), or pilose (7), or villous (3); with simple hairs (17/18), or tubercle-based hairs (1/18); without hair tufts (20), or with a dorsal tuft of hair (3), or with transverse tufts of hair (1). Upper glume apex entire (8), or lobed (14); 2 -fid (14/14); emarginate (7/14), or truncate (1/14), or obtuse (5/14), or acute (1/14), or rostrate (3/14); muticous (7), or mucronate (8), or awned (15); 1 -awned (15/15).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male (13), or barren (10); with palea (17), or without significant palea (7). Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic (1), or oblong (20), or ovate (1); membranous (11), or chartaceous (8), or coriaceous (3); 3 -veined (3), or 4 -veined (1), or 5 -veined (18), or 6 -veined (2), or 7 -veined (4), or 8–9 -veined (1); without ribs (21), or ribbed (1); emarginate (8/15), or obtuse (4/15), or acute (1/15), or rostrate (2/15); muticous (10), or mucronate (7), or awned (16). Palea of lower sterile floret wingless (16/17), or winged on keels (1/17). Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or oblong (10), or ovate (12); laterally compressed; cartilaginous; without keel; wingless; 1–2 -veined (1/21), or 3 -veined (9/21), or 4 -veined (3/21), or 5 -veined (15/21). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins eciliate (20), or ciliate (2). Lemma apex entire (21), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); emarginate (2/6), or truncate (1/6), or obtuse (2/6), or acute (2/6); muticous (21), or awned (1); 1 -awned (1/1). Principal lemma awn from a sinus (1/1). Palea 0.8–1.055–1.5 length of lemma; cartilaginous; without keels. Palea surface glabrous (21), or pilose (1).

FLOWER Anthers 3 (9/9).

DISTRIBUTION Africa, or Temperate Asia (2), or Tropical Asia (3), or Australasia (2), or Pacific (2), or North America (2), or South America (2).

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