Snowdenia

HABIT Annual (3), or perennial (1). Rhizomes absent (3), or short (1). Culms decumbent (3), or rambling (1); weak (1/1); 15–60–180 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence simple, or compound (1). Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal (3), or terminal and axillary (1).

Racemes single; multilateral. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear (1/2), or oblong (1/2).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2–3.687–5.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.5–0.75–1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate (1), or truncate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse (1), or acute (1), or acuminate (3); muticous (1), or awned. Fertile lemma elliptic (3), or ovate (1); membranous; without keel; wingless; 5 -veined (1/1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins covering most of palea. Lemma apex truncate (1), or obtuse (1), or acute (3); muticous (1), or mucronate. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; hyaline; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa, or Temperate Asia (1).

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