Parahyparrhenia

HABIT Annual (1/5), or perennial (4/5). Culms erect (5/5); 20–69.83–160 cm long. Lateral branches lacking (1/1). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (4), or erect (2). Ligule an eciliate membrane (3), or a fringe of hairs (3). Leaf-blades filiform (2), or linear (4).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole; exserted (5), or enclosed (1). Spatheole linear; herbaceous.

Racemes single (4), or paired (4); bearing few fertile spikelets (5), or many spikelets (1); bearing 4 fertile spikelets on each (3/5), or 5–7 fertile spikelets on each (4/5), or 9–12 fertile spikelets on each (1/5). Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened (1/1). Rhachis internodes filiform (5), or linear (1). Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Raceme-bases brief (2), or filiform (4); subequal (2/4), or unequal (the longer measured) (2/4).

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets absent (1), or well-developed (5).

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus indistinct (3), or square (1), or oblong (2), or linear (1). Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (2), or awned (4).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (5), or lanceolate (1); subterete; 4.5–7.375–12 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; pubescent (1), or pilose (5); base acute (2), or pungent (4); attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (1), or elliptic (3), or oblong (2); coriaceous; without keels; 3–4 -veined (1/2), or 6 -veined (1/2). Lower glume surface convex (1), or with a longitudinal median groove (5); without pits; glabrous (4), or pilose (2). Lower glume apex entire (3), or dentate (3); 2 -fid (2/3), or 3 -fid (1/3); muticous (5), or mucronate (1). Upper glume lanceolate (2), or elliptic (2), or oblong (2); coriaceous; 1 -veined (1/2), or 5 -veined (1/2). Upper glume apex entire (5), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); muticous (3), or awned (4); 1 -awned (1/1).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren (5/5); without significant palea (5/5). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (3/5), or oblong (2/5); hyaline (5/5); 2 -veined (2/2). Fertile lemma linear (2), or oblong (4); hyaline (5), or chartaceous (1); without keel; wingless; 1 -veined (2/4), or 3 -veined (2/4). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins eciliate (4), or ciliolate (2). Lemma apex dentate (5), or lobed (1); 2 -fid; incised 0.1–0.2–0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; limb glabrous (5), or puberulous (1). Column of lemma awn hispidulous (1), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (3), or hirsute (1). Palea present (1), or absent or minute (5).

FLOWER Anthers 3 (2/2).

DISTRIBUTION Africa (2), or Tropical Asia (4).

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