Phyllorachis

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 60–120 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Monoecious; with male and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes borne along a central axis; in a unilateral false spike; appressed; lanceolate; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis foliaceous; tip subulate. Rhachis deciduous from axis; broadly winged; terminating in a barren extension; extension flattened.

Sexes segregated; on bisexual branches; with male above. Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Male spikelets sessile; 2 in a cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 10–16 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume subulate. Lower glume surface without pits. Upper glume oblong; 0.3–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; coriaceous; 15 -veined; sulcate; acute. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; chartaceous; keeled; wingless; 11–17 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex caudate. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous; 8–12 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 6. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; laterally compressed; biconvex. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male spikelets similar to female but less developed. Male spikelet glumes 2.

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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