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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Afrotrichloris martinii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–70 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 5–15 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 3–15 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 16–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–20 mm long; 0.6–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume elliptic; 16–20 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acuminate, or setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 16–20 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins augmented by subsidiaries in lobes. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on back, or on veins. Lemma margins eciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with linear lobes; incised 0.66–0.75 of lemma length; attenuate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; 25–45 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1–16 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea ovate; 0.3 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets 4 in number; barren; in a clump; elliptic; 20 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp. Disseminule comprising a floret with sterile lemmas.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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