Oryzidium

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 80–150 cm long; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with the pedicel. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation slender.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblate; membranous; without keels; 0–3 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; chartaceous; 5 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; coriaceous; without keel; wingless; 7 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea coriaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy.

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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