Acroceras ivohibense

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 40–80 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 8–10 cm long; 6–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.5–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–12 cm long. Rhachis angular; glabrous on surface, or pilose on surface. Spikelet packing contiguous; irregular.

Spikelets ascending; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; angular; unequal; 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–3.7 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 5 -veined; laterally pinched at apex. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5 mm long; indurate; pallid. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; laterally pinched and with a little green crest. Palea reflexed at apex; elliptic; involute; 1 length of lemma; indurate; 2 -veined.

FRUIT Disseminule comprising a spikelet.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus.

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